'I've met Kate Middleton - this is the first thing she does on every royal visit'

Prince William and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, are widely praised for their down-to-earth approach to royal engagements, but insiders say that Catherine has a particularly striking way of connecting with people—one that often leaves her security team struggling to keep up.

Chief Scout Dwayne Fields, who has met the Princess of Wales multiple times in her role as joint-President of the Scout Association, shared an insight into Catherine’s unique approach to royal visits.

Speaking to the Daily Mail's Richard Eden at the Employee Network Awards at the London Hilton on Park Lane, Fields recounted how Catherine immediately puts people at ease.

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“I wonder if her security have an easy job trying to mind her,” Fields said. “As soon as she arrives, she makes everyone feel comfortable. She'll get down on the ground… to their level… physically their level.”

He continued: “If they're sat down on the floor, reading maps or drawing or doing art or being creative, she's gonna sit on the floor as well.” Fields added that this small but thoughtful gesture helps those around her feel instantly at ease and highlights Catherine’s natural warmth and empathy.

This approach isn’t just theoretical. The Princess of Wales and her husband, Prince William, demonstrated it firsthand during a visit to a children’s shelter in the Indian capital, Delhi, in 2016.

Despite concerns from their security detail that the outing could become chaotic, the couple insisted on leaving some of their protection officers behind to interact more freely with the children.

Sanjoy Roy, co-founder of the Salaam Baalak Trust, said: ""When William and Catherine came to see this project, [representatives] called saying, 'They’re happy to come without security.'

"I tried to dissuade them, saying, 'No can do – it’s too dangerous. Just don’t come.' But Will and Kate said, 'No, we really want to.' They were so wonderfully respectful,” Roy said. “It was quiet, calm, and meaningful. No drama – just genuine care.”

The couple met children at the railway station shelter, many of whom had survived trafficking, violence, and gang exploitation.

In May, the Duke of Sussex lost his appeal against the dismissal of his High Court claim against the Home Office over the decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the UK.

The challenge came after Harry and Meghan left the UK and first moved to Canada, and then California, after announcing they wanted to step back as senior royals.

As a result of the ruling, Prince Harry, 40, said he “can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK”.