The Duchess of Cambridge, née Kate Middleton, has become a royal fashion icon thanks to the stylish ensembles she wears for her official appearances. But dressing up is Kate showing her "professional side", according to Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman.
Kate starred on the cover of Vogue's June issue earlier this year, and Alexandra noted how "incredibly likeable" and "professional" the Duchess was during the shoot – as well as how different she was to the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
Kate shows her "professional side" by dressing up
"Diana was more interested in that high-voltage celebrity, that was something she really embraced. One of the things I've learned in this job is how much celebrity is a decision," Alexandra said in an interview with ES magazine.
"The Duchess of Cambridge is prepared to do her bit, but it's not one of the things that she most cares about. She loves her kids and the countryside. Dressing up, that's a professional side to her. It's a sort of uniform, all those lovely couture costumes."
The Duchess starred on the cover of Vogue's June issue© Josh Olins
As for what it was like working with the Duchess? Alexandra says: "She's incredibly likeable, she really is. She wants to do what she's doing well, and she's very professional. That's the point with the royal family. It's when they stop being professional that things go wrong.
"We want them to be pros, to get everything right, to be on message and look great. We don't want them to have off days."
Kate made her debut on the cover of Vogue earlier this year, marking the first time she had ever posed for a magazine. The photographs were released as part of a collaboration between British Vogue and the National Portrait gallery, and were added to the Vogue 100: A Century of Style exhibition.