The Queen made a heartfelt effort to make Princess Kate feel comfortable during their first Christmas together.
Kate joined the Royal family for a Christmas at Sandringham for the first time in 2011 - seven months after marrying Prince William. Reflecting on the experience in a 2016 ITV documentary Our Queen at 90, reports the Mirror.
She said: "You would expect a lot of grandeur and a lot of fuss, but actually what really resonates with me is her love for the simple things.
"I think that's a special quality to have. I can remember being at Sandringham for the first time at Christmas, and I was worried what to give the Queen as her Christmas present."
Kate continued: "I was thinking: 'Gosh, what should I give her? ' I thought: 'I'll make her something', which could have gone horribly wrong, but I decided to make my granny's recipe for chutney."
She concluded: "I was slightly worried about it, but I noticed the next day that it was on the table. I think such a simple gesture went such a long way for me, and I've noticed since she's done that on lots of occasions and I think it just shows her thoughtfulness, really, and her care in looking after everybody."
Excluding 2020 and 2021 when pandemic restrictions led to the suspension of the traditional Sandringham Christmas festivities, Kate and William have consistently celebrated both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with the Royal Family at Sandringham.
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Between 2011–2016, Prince William and Kate often split their Christmases between the royals and the Middleton family in Berkshire.
The documentary highlighted Kate's growing bond with the Queen over the years. Recalling a particularly significant solo engagement, Kate shared, "The most memorable engagement for me I suppose was an away day to Leicester and I went without William so I was rather apprehensive about that," adding, "I think there is a real art to walkabouts, everyone teases me in the family that I spend far too long chatting so I think I've still got to learn a little bit more and pick up a few more tips I suppose."
She also spoke warmly of the support she received from the Queen: "She was very supportive. The fact she took the time to make sure that I was happy and looked after for that particular occasion, which probably in everything that she's doing is a very small element, which just shows how caring she is, really."
Speaking on Channel 5's 'Kate and The Queen: A Special Relationship', Richard Kay of the Daily Mail remarked: "The Queen grew to trust Kate. I don't think she really trusted anyone on first impression, we're all performing the same show, the show is supporting the Queen. But with Kate and the Queen it grew deeper than that, there was a real grandmotherly affection between the two."
Majesty magazine's editor and royal expert Ingrid Seward concurred, stating: "I think the Queen saw her strength and saw that she is a caring person who had this amazing affiliation to duty.
"I think Kate would have really appreciated the kindness and attention the Queen had given to her, and she knows better than anyone how busy the Queen is. She put time aside to make Kate feel appreciated."
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