At Kate Middleton’s Sister’s Wedding, Kate Stayed ‘In The Shadows’ With Modest Body Language

Pippa Middleton’s wedding was probably the society event of the year, and the royal family spotlight shone brightly on Middleton and the bridal party. News.com.au wrote that it’s not every day the future Queen of England helps a bride adjust her wedding dress outside a small country church, but that’s exactly what Kate Middleton did for her younger sister.

Kate Middleton was determined to stay “in the shadows” at her sister’s wedding. She didn’t want to take the attention away from Pippa on the big day, and her demeanor was carefully low-profile. Kate even managed to slip into the church ahead of time without anyone noticing that she’d arrived.

There was plenty to keep Pippa’s sister busy as the wedding guests arrived. With several little ones in the bridal party, including Prince George and Princess Charlotte, someone had to be there to make sure the children behaved. The Duchess of Cambridge turned out to be the perfect person for the role of nanny.

As guests filed in and the bridesmaids and pageboys assembled, the older Middleton sister kept her focus on “taking a step back from the cameras,” although she did let photographers catch her laughing with Princess Charlotte and the other excited children.

A source who was at the Middleton wedding told E! News that when the seven children in Pippa’s wedding party became too excited, “Kate stepped in to keep them under control and crouched down to speak to George and Charlotte.”

The duchess even dressed down for the occasion, choosing a long-sleeved, below-the-knee peach dress that some observers described as “matronly.” Kate’s dress was “deliberately demure” and certainly sent a message that on this occasion, she was a mom on duty, not a star of the show the way Pippa Middleton was at Kate’s wedding.

Pippa middletons wedding pictures are out and they are beautiful! Kate and the children look so pretty too ???

— davidmcconvilleortho (@mcconvilleortho) May 20, 2017

The dress was in stark contrast to Pippa Middleton’s white dress with its form-fitting, more revealing style when she was Maid of Honor at the royal wedding in 2011. Although she’s a princess as well as a duchess, the older Middleton sister preferred to cover up with her retiring Alexander McQueen dress.

Throughout the preparations, Kate maintained a placid air and was “very much Mummy for the day.” She wrangled the little ones into place for their walk up the aisle and entertained them after the ceremony while James and Pippa Matthews posed for photos. As Pippa was about to walk up the aisle with Michael Middleton, Kate stopped to smooth out Pippa’s wedding dress in what has become a nearly iconic moment with comparisons to the royal wedding when Pippa did the same for Kate.

When the wedding party was ready to leave, Kate Middleton walked behind her sister and new brother-in-law and even refrained from flashing her usual bright smile for the cameras. The Mirror wrote that Kate Middleton is known for her poise and grace. The duchess knows to perfection how and when to smile, gesture, or turn her body so that she never offends people she meets on public duty and often makes them feel that they have her special attention.

Prince William’s wife is finely attuned to her own strengths and has always “relied on her impeccable body language to steer clear of controversy or press frenzies.” Princess Kate put that skill to work at Pippa Middleton’s wedding in a gesture that must have been deeply appreciated by Pippa and her parents.

Prince Harry was also a guest at Pippa’s wedding, but Meghan Markle waited until the reception to join her boyfriend. There is much speculation that Harry and Meghan will announce their own engagement after the interest in James and Pippa’s wedding has died down.

[Featured Image by Arthur Edwards/Getty Images]