Royal Watch News

David Cameron defends Duchess Catherine

Feb 20, 2013, 12:02 GMT

Duchess Catherine

David Cameron has leapt to Duchess Catherine's defence after she was slammed by Hilary Mantel.

The British Prime Minister described the 60-year-old author's comments as 'out of order' after she called the pregnant duchess - who was known as Kate Middleton prior to her and Prince William's nuptials - a 'shop window mannequin, with no personality' and a 'plastic princess'.

Speaking on his trade mission to India, Cameron hit back: 'What I've seen of Princess Kate at public events, at the Olympics and elsewhere is someone who's bright, engaging, a fantastic ambassador for Britain.'

He was clearly angry about Mantel's comments as he got the duchess' title wrong, and then slammed the author's views once again, saying: 'I think she writes great books, but what she's said about Kate is completely misguided and completely wrong.'

Hilary sparked controversy when she made the comments about the duchess during a British Museum lecture about the 31-year-old brunette's role in the Royal Family.

She said: 'Kate seems to have been selected for her role of princess because she was irreproachable: as painfully thin as anyone could wish, without quirks, without oddities, without the risk of the emergence of character.

'She appears precision-made, machine-made.'

Referring to the Catherine's recent bout of morning sickness, she added: 'Once she gets over being sick, the press will find that she is radiant. They will find that this young woman's life until now was nothing, her only point and purpose being to give birth.'

But Catherine doesn't seem to have been affected by the double Booker Prize winner's words as she returned to work yesterday (19.02.13) for the first time since being treated for severe morning sickness.

The duchess visited Hope House treatment centre in Clapham, south west London, where she spoke to women who have battled alcohol and drug addiction.

What's more, a spokesperson for the author insisted the lecture was not a criticism but a 'remarkably sympathetic' piece about royal women as victims.