There’s quite a history between royal women and their handbags.
Princess Diana used her clutch bag to cover her cleavage from prying photographers, whilst the Queen moves her handbag from one arm to the other to signal to her staff when she’s bored of chatting to someone.
The late Princess’ affinity for Dior’s iconic Lady Dior purse even led to the French maison to rename the bag in her honour.
Another reason Royals carry clutch bags is to have an excuse to avoid shaking hands if they find a situation a bit comfortable.
And if you’ve ever wondered what exactly they do carry in there (and it’s never cash FYI), we’ve been given a glimpse into the Duchess of Cambridge’s handbag, which incidentally she often carries in her left hand for this reason.
According to royal author Marcia Moody’s 2013 book Kate: A Biography, Catherine always carries three four items with her.
“In her small clutch she carries a compact mirror, blotting paper, a handkerchief and lip balm,” she writes. We can all definitely relate to that, and it makes sense for someone whose picture is taken all the time to not want to appear shiny, have cracked lips or a runny nose.
And if space permits, i.e. when she carries a bigger handbag or tote bag, the Duchess of Cambridge is said to carry her own personal camera, as she is so keen on taking pictures.
Referencing Kate’s royal tour with William to Canada in 2011, she says, “Since she has always been a keen photographer, she took her own Canon camera to snap some personal images.”
Well that’s good to know, isn’t it?
This article originally appeared on Marie Claire U.K.
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