Kate Middleton does not shy away from admitting the truth about her struggle with one particular aspect of her royal duties. The Princess of Wales, who has fully returned to public life after winning her months-long battle against cancer, is still facing challenges with certain royal engagements. For Catherine, crowded receptions are "really hard" due to her naturally soft voice. She is not somebody who naturally projects her voice across a crowded room, so being heard above the noise can be challenging, according to palace insiders.
When she performs royal duties, people constantly move around her to speak with her. Kate takes conversations extremely seriously and dislikes making someone feel they are just being processed as part of an event. That can make these events harder because Catherine's instinct is to stop, listen properly, and give people her full attention rather than exchange a few words and immediately move along, one insider told Radar.
It's become something of a running joke because she is regularly encouraged to speak louder and occasionally spends considerably longer talking to guests than the schedule allows, they added. She has had training in public appearances, but despite her growing confidence, she still prefers to be quiet rather than loud.
Catherine once acknowledged the difficulty while talking to women attending a reception at Buckingham Palace, marking the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II's birth. The Princess of Wales opened up while speaking with guests inside the busy palace, saying: "I find these environments are really hard. I've also got a very soft voice, so I always get told 'Speak up a bit louder!"
