When Catherine Middleton attended her first solo engagement of the year, she was prepared for the spotlight.
The 41-year-old Princess of Wales paid a visit to the highly regarded childcare and early education facility Foxcubs Nursery in Luton on Wednesday morning. Catherine spoke with teachers about the importance of the early years’ formative nature, a key focus of her royal work, and spent time with the adorable attendees, who range in age from 2 to 5.
Princess Catherine posed for pictures with parents who were waiting to pick up their children as she made her way outside the building, including two selfies. Catherine graciously consented when some mothers requested a photo, as seen in a video posted on Twitter by Rebecca English of the Daily Mail.
Except in exceptional circumstances, the royals have rarely posed for pictures with fans at public events, but this policy seems to have softened recently.
Prince William and Princess Catherine smiled for selfies last week while making their first public appearance together in 2023. After the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital was formally opened, they posed for photos with about 20 hospital employees, volunteers, and guests.
“They were so hospitable. They were so hospitable and kind, “Amber Otto, an ophthalmic imaging technician, told PEOPLE that she ran into the couple and took selfies with both Catherine and William. “They made sure they made time for everyone, even when they were being rushed out.”
She continued, “The Princess asked me what I did. They spoke with as many people as they could.”
There are no mandatory standards of conduct when addressing members of the royal family, according to the website of the family. The website provides instructions on how to bow and curtsy, but makes no mention of selfies.
Prince William, 40, and Princess Catherine aren’t the only members of the royal family to embrace the style. During their visit to the Invictus Games’ One Year to Go event in Düsseldorf, Germany in September, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle snapped selfies with fans.
King Charles III hasn’t explicitly taken selfies, but he doesn’t seem to mind when admirers point their cellphone cameras in his general direction, as one supporter did while the monarch was out and about in London last year.
