How Does Princess Diana's Family Really Feel About Kate Middleton? What We Know

Even before Kate Middleton was officially titled the Princess of Wales, an honorific formerly held by Princess Diana, the royal was constantly compared to her late mother-in-law. "Ten years, three children, 33 foreign trips, and one Royal Foundation of her very own later, and Kate is still held up against Diana with a bilious regularity," royal commentator Daniela Elser told Woman & Home. "It's a game that Kate can never win."

While following in the footsteps of the people's princess has been no easy task for Kate, the duchess has effectively established herself as a senior royal in her own right, creating a legacy that even Princess Diana's family can be proud of. Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes, the oldest Spencer children, are believed to maintain a positive connection with their nephews, but haven't publicly commented on their relationship with Kate.

Still, Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer and younger brother to Diana, has only had good things to say about his sister's successor, specifically expressing admiration after the announcement of Kate's shocking cancer diagnosis. "Incredible poise and strength," he wrote on Instagram, sharing a screenshot from the duchess' video. Though there appears to be no end in sight of the media's Diana-Kate comparisons, the Spencer family does identify a key difference between the circumstances of the two women.

In early 2024, Kate Middleton's absence from the public eye began causing concern among royal fans, with the situation eventually spawning wild theories about the duchess' whereabouts and health. Eventually, Kate revealed that she had been diagnosed with cancer after a scheduled surgery, but an edited family photo released after the announcement only fueled more speculation about the princess. Ultimately, the royal family's struggle for privacy and the ensuing media frenzy called to mind Princess Diana's constant harassment by the paparazzi and her untimely death.

While Charles Spencer, Diana's younger brother, expressed his support for Kate following her diagnosis, he did contrast the two women's situation in a very key way. "I think it was more dangerous back in the day," he told the BBC in March 2024. "The circumstances of [Princess Diana's] death were so shocking, that it did make the industry that supports the paparazzi really consider more carefully what it could and couldn't do. Not because they had a moral judgment, but because it was unacceptable to the public." In terms of conspiracy theories surrounding Kate, Spencer did go on to acknowledge their worrisome nature, admitting, "I do worry about what happened to the truth."