The video has gained over 110,000 views on TikTok and 5,000 likes after being uploaded by user royalfamilyfanpage5.
TikTok has seen a number of royal related videos go viral in recent months, with 49 percent of the platform’s users in the U.S. being under the age of 30, according to 2021 data by Statista.
The viral video shows Kate in a resurfaced clip from a visit to Bradford in 2020 greeting a young fan named Josh, who is autistic.
While meeting well-wishers who had waited to see her and Prince William, Kate is shown approaching the young fan and complimenting his camouflage coat.
“George would love your coat,” she said in reference to her eldest son Prince George. “He loves camouflage.”
After a short exchange, Josh gave the duchess a hug which she reciprocated, evoking a warm response from the nearby crowd.
The interaction has generated praise for the royal on TikTok, with commenters drawing parallels between her engagement with young people and that of Princess Diana.
“Catherine is the real deal, there’s nothing fake about her, she’s full of empathy and compassion, love how she interacts with people,” one user said.
“So much like Diana,” posted another, with a further commenter adding: “Princess Diana vibes. so genuine.”
The visit to Bradford on January 15, 2020, came at a pivotal moment for the Cambridges and the wider royal family as it followed the announcement from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle that they would “step back” from their roles as senior working members of the royal family.
Buckingham Palace would release the official statement on January 18, saying that Harry and Meghan would no longer act as working royals or use their HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) titles as they sought financial independence.
The Bradford visit was also notable for being one of the last that the Cambridges would undertake before the COVID pandemic lockdowns that would follow.
During their time in the city, William and Kate met with local leaders and employers to discuss youth employment and community initiatives.
The duchess’s style choice for the occasion met with praise from the fashion press as she wore a bespoke longline coat with statement pockets made by the designer of her wedding dress, Alexander McQueen, and a 1970s inspired houndstooth dress from mid-range label Zara.
In the U.K. and the U.S., Kate remains one of the most popular members of the royal family in polls undertaken by YouGov. In a February 2022 survey by YouGov America, Kate was ranked third most popular, behind Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth II, with a 50 percent favorable response rate.
Despite this the royal has seen her favorability polling waver in over the past two years, with her net positive percentage rate in the U.K. falling from 59 percent at the time of the Bradford visit to 55 percent in May 2022. This decrease has been attributed to a number of possible influences, including revelations about the royal family made by Harry and Meghan in their March 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey.
As the queen continues to scale back her public appearances and delegate a number of her official responsibilities to her heirs, it’s likely that the duchess of Cambridge will see her share of engagements increase.
