High-heels are difficult to navigate at the best of times and, while some princesses might make it look effortless, the royal family are no exception – from Princess Catherine to the Queen Consort and Queen Mary of Denmark, we're all liable to slip up from time to time. Read on to see the royal slip-ups that prove they're just like us, even if their shoes are from Prada...
© WireImage via Getty ImagesPrincess Kate found herself trapped at a 2013 St Patrick's Day Parade
Kate gets caught in a grate
Trust Princess Catherine to make a chic recovery and smile throughout it all! Kate couldn't help grinning as she tried to carefully remove her heel from a grate at Mons Barrack's Aldershot during the St Patrick's Day Parade in 2013.
Prince William was on hand to support her quick manoeuvre as she soon released herself from the grate, with shoe intact, and proved her elegant athleticism in the process.
© AFP via Getty ImagesLosing a shoe might make you a princess, but for this royal it was much more important to get it back
Crown Princess Mary's Cinderella moment
Every child knows the story of Cinderella's lost shoe, but Crown Princess Mary of Denmark she was already a royal when she left hers a step or two behind.
Accompanied by her very own Prince Charming, Crown Prince Frederik - now King Frederik X - the heel was soon reclaimed and their visit to the grave site of President John F. Kennedy continued without any more drama.
© Getty ImagesCarole Middleton had some assistance from her son-in-law after this heel mishap
Prince William's mother-in-law is saved
As the mother of England's future queen, all eyes were on Carole Middleton as she found herself stuck in the mud on day two of Royal Ascot in 2024.
Fortunately, her dashing son-in-law was there to play the part of gentleman – complete with top hat and tails – and helped Carole escape from the muddy terrain.
© WireImage via Getty ImagesKate braved the mud in order to greet visitors at a Scarborough community hub
Anything for the fans
Kate Middleton has mostly perfected the art of engagements carried out in towering stilettos, but the princess has had plenty of more difficult moments that required a grin and utmost grace.
In 2022, she visited Scarborough community hub The Street and made her way across the site's muddier portion to greet residents personally over the gates.
© Getty ImagesIt's all about the recovery and no one knows that better than Queen Camilla
Queen Camilla's slight stumble
The pressure to perform royal duties can often outweigh personal comfort. That was certainly the case for Queen Camilla as she appeared to wobble on her way out of Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff in 2022.
She joined King Charles in attending a memorial for the late Queen, the couple's first visit to Wales since Charles ascended the throne. Reportedly, the stumble was due to a broken toe but Camilla determinedly continued with her engagements – sticking by Charles' side through the early days of his reign.
