The Duchess of Cambridge is stepping up her social media game. Kate Middleton’s comments on fans’ Instagrams as ‘C’ are such a subtle gesture, but they speak volumes for the royal followers who received them. In a rare shift for the future queen, she signed off her comments on the platform with the letter “C”—after all, let’s not forget that Kate’s real name is Catherine.
Kate, 38, went on a commenting spree over the course of May and June 2020 to honor some of her followers. The duchess spearheaded a public photography project in early May with the National Portrait Gallery, calling upon her followers to submit images that “help capture the spirit of the nation and what everyone is going through at this time!” The photography project, called “Hold Still” would ultimately earn followers the chance to have their portraits or photographs featured in “a gallery without walls”—a.k.a. a digital exhibition, available to any and everyone.
Ahead of the final submission date on June 18, Kate began commenting on entries shared to Instagram. She had plenty to choose from, with photos of healthcare works, families, and socially distanced groups making the rounds. On one photo of an NHS nurse, the Duchess commented, “Thank you so much for sharing your story and for the amazing work you all continue to do at such a difficult time. C.” On another photo depicting what it’s like to homeschool, Kate wrote, “My children will very much relate to this! Thank you for taking part and sharing your story! C.”
The Duchess also went on to share some of her favorites over the course of several weeks on the @KensingtonRoyal Instagram page, which she shares with her husband, Prince William, 38, and features her children Prince George, 6, Princess Charlotte, 5, and Prince Louis, 2. “Every story matters and telling yours during lockdown is what this project is all about,” read one post shared on June 11.