She hasn’t stepped foot in America in eight years, since she visited New York on a royal tour with husband Prince William in 2014. But it seems Kate Middleton has still made her mark there, with a recent poll in the US showing she’s the most popular royal.
While Kate has long been a hit with the British public – coming third after the Queen and Prince William in the most recent popularity vote – she easily topped the American poll, clinching over two-thirds of the vote. Surprisingly, she was more than twice as popular as her American sister-in-law Meghan Markle, who left the UK to live in California with husband Prince Harry in 2020.
From the moment she burst into the spotlight as a 19-year-old student at the University of St Andrews with William in 2001 to the hard-working royal and mum-of-three she is now, Kate has gone from strength to strength.
And American fans were delighted to hear that the Cambridges will go Stateside this year, as William’s environmental initiative, The Earthshot Prize, will host its second ceremony there later. Royal experts also predict that the couple may do a tour of California – a decade after they last went there on their first royal overseas tour as a married couple in 2011 – to mark their 40th birthdays this year.
Here, model and fashion entrepreneur Caprice, 50 – who was born and lived in LA for 25 years until she moved to London in 1996 – tells Closer why she thinks Kate is such a hit with her fellow Americans.
Check out: 21 celebs who took back their cheating partner
CLOSER Celebrity who took back their cheating partners - slider
1 of 21Danny Dyer and Joanne Mas
Danny Dyer and Joanne Mas' relationship hit a rough patch in 2017 when it was reported that he had a six-week affair with Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding. However they managed to work through it and are back together.
2 of 21Gaz Beadle and Emma McVey
Emma McVey accused Gary Beadle of cheating on her after he brutally dumped her via text. However she later fell pregnant with their first child, they reunited and the happy couple are now engaged and parents of two.
3 of 21Jay Z and Beyoncé
The world was shocked in 2017 when Jay-Z admitted he cheated on his wife and the mother of his children Beyoncé. They've since moved on from the drama and have even released a joint album together.
4 of 21Coleen and Wayne Rooney
They're childhood sweethearts but in 2002 Coleen Rooney discovered Wayne had slept with a 48-year-old nan, there's also been allegations that he cheated with prostitutes Jennifer Thompson and Helen Wood and in 2017 Wayne was arrested for drunk driving and Laura Simpson claimed they kissed. Laura then backtracked during an interview on This Morning and denied that anything went down with Wayne. Despite all the rumours and allegations, Coleen has stuck by her husband and has even shared a brutally honest Facebook post about her marriage.
5 of 21Tess Daly and Vernon Kay
In 2010 it came to light thatVernon Kay had sent 'flirty' texts to Rhian Sugden behind Tess Daly's back. Fast forward to 2016 and he was caught texting the glamour model again. However the TV presenters are still together.
6 of 21Katie Price and Kieran Hayler
We were all shook in 2014 when Katie Price announced husband Kieran Hayler had been cheating on her with her best friend Jane Pountney for seven months. She managed to forgive him and move on but in 2017 she revealed he had been unfaithful again with their children's nanny and a few months later she called it quits after he reportedly cheated again with a 19-year-old co-op worker.
7 of 21Mary Berry and Paul Hunnings
Great British Bake Off legend Mary Berry admitted that she cheated on her current husband Paul Hunnings when they first started dating. However they put it behind them and are still together.
8 of 21Lucy Mecklenburgh and Mario Falcone
While filming for TOWIE Lucy Mecklenburgh admitted that she had been unfaithful with ex-boyfriend Mark Wright during a holiday in Ibiza. Mario Falcone ended their relationship but swiftly took her back and they went on to get engaged but in 2013 they called it quits and have both moved on.
9 of 21Katya and Neil Jones
After Katya Jones was spotted kissing her Strictly partner Seann Walsh, they were both quick to apologise for their actions. Seann's girlfriend dumped him but Neil forgave his wife. However in 2020 they announced they'd split with Neil insisting it was not because of the infamous kiss.
10 of 21Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson
It's one of the Kardashians biggest scandals - Tristan Thompson cheating on Khloe Kardashian days before she was due to give birth to True Thompson. They appeared to work through his betrayal but almost a year later he allegedly kissed Kardashian/Jenner's family friend Jordyn Woods. There's since been speculation that a reunion for Khloe and Tristan could be on the cards.
11 of 21Spencer Matthews and Louise Thompson
Spencer Matthews and Louise Thompson's relationship largely consisted of Spenny cheating while Louise cried her eyes out. She continued to take him back but eventually decided enough was enough and ended it for good.
12 of 21Balthazar Getty and Rosetta
In 2008, Balthazar Getty had an affair with Sienna Miller despite being married to his wife and the mother of his four children Rosetta. Balthazara and Rosetta separated but two years later they got their marriage back on track.
13 of 21Bill Clinton and Hilary Clinton
The Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal is one of the most famous affairs EVER. However his wife Hilary appeared to take it in her stride because they're still married.
14 of 21Alex Mytton and Binky Felstead
Made in Chelsea's Alex Mytton cheated on Binky Felstead several times during their relationship but she kept on taking him back. However she finally ended it when she discovered he had an orgy with Spencer Matthews.
15 of 21Gaz Beadle and Charlotte Crosby
They were the Geordie Shore couple we were all rooting for but Gaz Beadle just couldn't keep it in his pants even when he was with Charlotte Crosby. The final straw for Char was when he slept with Jemma Lucy on Ex on the Beach and [she heartbreakingly suffered an ectopic pregnancy](https://closeronline.co.uk/family/news/ectopic-pregnancy-signs-symptoms-diagnosis/agnosis/).
16 of 21Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch
Back in 2010 while Abbey Clancy was pregnant with her first child, there were reports that her partner Peter Crouch had an alleged affair with a teenage prostitute. They've since moved on from the reports and are still happily together.
17 of 21Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor
Millie Mackintosh and Hugo Taylor both cheated on each other during their Made in Chelsea days. However they've since reunited, gotten married and in 2020 welcomed their daughter Sienna.
18 of 21Sam Thompson and Tiffany Watson
Sam Thompson and Tiffany Watson were both guilty of cheating and they both kept taking each other back. However they've finally called it quits - thank God.
19 of 21Pete Wicks and Megan McKenna
Megan McKenna forgave Pete Wicks for sexting his ex-girlfriend Jacqui Ryland however she later discovered (while filming TOWIE) that he had sent even more messages. She forgave him but couldn't forget and they later split for good.
20 of 21James Argent and Gemma Collins
In 2012 Gemma Collins accused James Argent of cheating but she seemed to forgive and forget and they've been on/off ever since.
21 of 21Malin Andersson and Tom Kemp
Love Island star Malin Andersson accused her boyfriend Tom Kemp of cheating on her during pregnancy. However they managed to get through it and got back together. They since split.
‘Her style is elegant, classy & relatable’
Since stepping into life as a royal, Kate has evolved into a style icon, with Brits voting her the second best-dressed woman in Europe behind Victoria Beckham in a poll in 2020. With her wardrobe staples ranging from Zara to Alexander McQueen, most of what she wears to events sells out in minutes.
And US fashion watchers seem just as enamoured with Kate’s style, with tribute social media accounts such as fashion fan account @fromberkshiretobuckingham, which has 85.6K followers – run by American fans.
And Caprice says, “Americans love the British way, the class, the tradition, and part of that is how you dress. Kate’s style is always really well put together, elegant, stylish and smart. She just looks like she’s got it all figured out and there’s never a hair out of place, and yet she comes across as down to earth and relatable. She’s beautiful, but it’s also how she carries herself and what she wears. She looked like a total queen in that gold dress she wore to the Bond premiere in September last year. But she looks just as good in jeans and a Barbour jacket.
“Whatever she wears on her tour to the US this year, the Americans are going to eat it up. I think she could even afford to take some risks with her fashion, wear something a little extra, and get away with it. Everything she wears turns to gold!”
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‘She’s worshipped like Diana & Hollywood loves her’
While the royal family has long had a fanbase in America, it was William and Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, who spearheaded the fascination with the royals and became an icon in America. Prior to her tragic death in 1997, there were even reports that she’d planned to move to Los Angeles. Her former butler Paul Burrell told Closer in 2020, “She loved America and loved the outdoor lifestyle that LA could give her and her boys.”
Other reports even claimed that Hollywood bosses were eyeing up Diana for potential movie roles, and that she’d even started having voice coaching lessons to test the water.
And now Caprice, who has graced the red carpets of Hollywood and rubbed shoulders with the A-list, says, “Princess Diana was worshipped in America and definitely contributed towards the obsession over there with the royals that there is today. She was the most famous woman in the world and on the cover of every magazine. People loved her vulnerability, beauty and warmth. Kate is heading in the same direction and could be just as worshipped as Diana – people seem to love her strength, resilience and elegance.
“I imagine, if Kate goes to America this year, she’ll be a star in Hollywood, they’ll go absolutely nuts for her. There will be invites to everything – premieres, red carpets, A-list events, you name it. I think part of Kate’s appeal is that she doesn’t have an ego and doesn’t crave the spotlight. She knows she’s got a job to do.”
‘She keeps a dignified silence & works hard’
The last few years have seen some of the most scandalous dramas in royal history – including Harry and Meghan’s shocking departure from the UK in 2020 and their subsequent interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021.
During the interview, the couple made claims of racism within the royal family and accused The Firm of neglecting Meghan’s mental health. And despite reports claiming that Meghan had brought Kate to tears in the days before Meghan’s wedding in 2018, Meghan said in the interview, “The reverse happened. She made me cry.”
Despite this – and as well as Harry and Meghan’s biography claiming that Kate had “no interest” in getting to know Meghan when she began dating Harry – Kate has kept silent throughout.
And Caprice says, “At the end of the day, there’s nothing really controversial about Kate. She has a genuine nature about her, loyalty to the royals, her family and her country. Through all the drama with Meghan, she’s not said a word. And I really think silence is power.”
Referring to media reports about Kate back in the 2000s – such as when her outspoken uncle, Gary Goldsmith, was arrested for assault in 2017, and her and William’s brief split in 2007 – Caprice adds, “She’s always been that way, she’s never badmouthed anyone or answered back. She’s stayed silent throughout all the family controversies. I think everyone has a lot of respect for that. She just gets her head down and works hard.”