The Princess of Wales is keen to "look past protocols" and "rewrite the royal rulebook" when out in public, a body language expert has said.
Kate has two high-profile outings this week, including her first official trip to Cornwall with Prince William since becoming the Duchess of Cornwall.
On Wednesday, she was in Derby today to meet Captain Preet Chandi, who recently returned from a polar trek across the Antarctic.
During the engagement, where Kate donned her Veja white trainers, Preet told of how she trained for her trek by strapping two huge tyres to her waist and pulling them along as she walked.
Not one to shy away from a sporty moment, Kate whipped off her jacket in order to try out the gruelling training method.
And according to body language expert Darren Stanton, this was a significant move by Kate.
He explained: "Footage of Kate pulling the tyres along clearly demonstrates her willingness and confidence, as well as her ability, to blend in with those around her.
"It's difficult to imagine any member of the royal family allowing themselves to be filmed and photographed in those surroundings and just goes to show how Kate is keen to look past protocols and rewrite the rulebook when it comes to how she and William portray themselves to the public.
"Kate looks genuinely happy to be taking part, you can see the determination in her face to impress and she looks back towards her audience reassuringly for their encouragement. Keen to get stuck in, we see Kate in the footage taking instructions from others quite willingly.
"This is probably the most understated we have seen Kate. She is dressed down in very casual clothing - again a subtle sign from her to appear relatable and on a similar level to those she is interacting with."
Meanwhile, Darren notes that Kate is looking increasingly confident as is certain she will be a "much-loved" Queen one day in the future.
Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, he added: "She is wonderfully confident in her own skin, denoted by her relaxed posture, her genuine smiles, her face continuously fully engaged and she isn’t afraid to show, that at times, she doesn’t take herself too seriously.
"Since becoming the Princess of Wales we have seen Kate develop in great confidence and this desire to connect with her subjects is a sure sign that she’ll go on to make a much-loved Queen."