Britain鈥檚 Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (L) and Britain鈥檚 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (R) leave after attending a national service of thanksgiving for the 90th birthday of Britain鈥檚 Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul鈥檚 Cathedral in London, which is also the Duke of Edinburgh鈥檚 95th birthday. AFP FILE PHOTO
LONDON 鈥� As the new Princess of Wales, Prince William鈥檚 wife Catherine is inevitably drawing comparisons with her superstar predecessor, William鈥檚 late mother Diana, whose legacy still frames Britain鈥檚 view of its royal family.
Outside Kensington Palace in London, where Diana continued to live after separating from the new King Charles III in 1992, members of the public voiced their views on the task聽facing Kate.
鈥淒iana will never be forgotten. But I鈥檓 sure that she鈥檒l continue the legacy. And she鈥檒l be a wonderful tribute to Diana,鈥� said Keith Lowing, 73.
The retiree and his wife Kathleen were sat on a bench in the palace gardens, where Diana and King Charles鈥檚 sons William and Harry unveiled a statue of the late princess only last year.
The death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday saw Britain enter a new era, after her 70 years on the throne.
But the accession of King Charles also heralded another symbolic change: the first Princess of Wales since Diana鈥檚 death 25 years ago.
Before Diana, the previous Princess of Wales was Mary of Teck, from 1901 until 1910, when her husband became King George V.
Helping those on the margins
The title of Prince of Wales is granted by monarchs to their eldest living son.
Charles was created Prince of Wales aged nine in 1958, and, on his first full day as king, gave the title to 40-year-old William.
The Prince of Wales鈥檚 wife becomes the Princess of Wales.
鈥淥ur new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given,鈥� King Charles said on Friday.
Charles鈥檚 second wife Camilla was entitled to use the style Princess of Wales after their wedding in 2005.
But she chose not to do so as the title was so strongly associated with Diana, who had publicly blamed Camilla for being the third person in her marriage to Charles.
Camilla used her husband鈥檚 secondary title and became the Duchess of Cornwall.
鈥淭he problem of comparison with Diana won鈥檛 arise because Kate is not Camilla 鈥� and because things have moved on,鈥� royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told The Guardian newspaper.
High standard to match
That said, Diana remains a revered figure in Britain and around the world.
Her tragic death aged 36 in car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997 left her frozen in time and a near-saintly figure to many.
鈥淒iana was a very important princess and was very much loved by the public. She doesn鈥檛 represent the crown so much as the people,鈥� Maria Aragon, a 21-year-old Spanish tourist, told AFP outside Kensington Palace.
Not far from the new Diana statue, Rebecca Brunswig, a 74-year-old US tourist, recalled her 鈥渕any humanitarian visits鈥�, her commitment to AIDS sufferers and her 鈥渨onderful compassion for the less fortunate鈥�.
Even before Catherine married William in 2011, questions arose as to whether she could ever measure up to Diana, whose engagement ring she wears.
Since joining the royal family, Kate has conducted herself with poise and projected a happy family image, choosing her charitable engagements carefully as she raises Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte.
Fitzwilliams said: 鈥淜ate has been increasingly hands-on and has shown a particular interest in early-years development, so I imagine she would like her legacy to show that she made a difference in that area.鈥�
But a palace source sought to dampen down Diana comparisons.
鈥淭he new Princess of Wales appreciates the history associated with this role,鈥� the source told reporters.
鈥淏ut she will understandably want to look to the future as she creates her own path.鈥�
Outside Kensington Palace, lawyer Selma White, 40, said: 鈥淪he鈥檚 very elegant, beautiful. And she represents the monarchy very well.
鈥淚 love Diana, I also love Kate, but I don鈥檛 think you can compare them, and people shouldn鈥檛. They will have to give Kate the chance to be Kate.鈥�
Popularity
A YouGov poll earlier this year put Kate as the most popular member of the royal family 鈥� on a 68 percent approval rating 鈥� after Queen Elizabeth, on 75 percent.
Experts believe she can now anchor the British royal family鈥檚 popularity, as Diana once did.
鈥淐learly the focus is now on William, Catherine 鈥� Prince and Princess of Wales 鈥� working alongside our new king and queen consort,鈥� royal historian Ed Owens told Channel 4 television.
Robert Hazell, a constitutional expert at University College London, said Kate would privately be a good sounding board for William in the 鈥渓onely鈥� position of Prince of Wales and heir to the throne.
Publicly, 鈥渢he younger royals help to maintain the popularity of the royal family among younger people鈥�, he added.
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