Royal expert Richard Eden has shared his thoughts on the Princess of Wales after meeting her for the first time after her split from Prince William
Matt Jackson Trendswatch Content Editor
12:00, 02 Oct 2025
An expert has revealed what he thought of Princess Kate(Image: AP)
Richard Eden, a Royal expert who has been writing about the Royal Family for over two decades, recently shared his first encounter with Kate Middleton after her split from Prince William in 2007.
Eden, who regularly shares insights and opinions about the Royals on the Daily Mail’s Palace Confidential podcast, revealed that he met the Princess of Wales at a party during her separation from William.
Speaking on the Palace Confidential, Richard said: “My first interaction with Catherine actually is when she was separated from Prince William, at a party, but I was talking to her and it actually makes me quite wishful because the woman I was talking to was Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, who tragically died far, far too young.
“That was at a party where I spoke to Catherine then and I’ve spoken to various members of her family over the years and I have to say generally they have always been very friendly.”
“Pippa used to be at parties more often than her sister but I would say the Royal Family has been extremely lucky to have the Middletons.”
William and Kate met at university(Image: Getty Images )
Richard has praised the Middleton family as a “real boon” to the Royal Family. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge first crossed paths while studying at St Andrews University in Scotland, but their relationship experienced a turbulent period following a break up.
During this time, William pursued his military training, while Kate reportedly enjoyed socialising with her friends. It was at a book launch party for author Simon Sebag Montefiore that she encountered Tara and Richard, according to the Mirror.
Tara, who passed away in 2017, is reported to have asked Kate about her feelings post-breakup. Despite Tara’s insistence, asking: “It must be so hard”, Kate is said to have reassured her: “Really, it’s fine.”
William and Kate split in 2007(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
In his Eden Confidential column, Richard penned: “She made clear with her body language that she didn’t wish to discuss the subject, and the conversation moved swiftly on to happier and less fraught matters.
“At that time, Catherine was seen as a party-loving girlfriend of William, but my first encounter with her taught me that she was a tough cookie who wasn’t going to be inveigled into saying something she didn’t want to say.
Princess Kate, Prince William and their children(Image: Karwai Tang/WireImage)
“Indeed, she reminded me of members of the Royal Family, much older than herself, who have the uncanny ability to make small-talk with anyone without giving anything anyway.”
The couple reconciled in the same year they split and exchanged vows in 2011. They are parents to Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.