‘I’m a curvy version of the duchess’
Katie Wolfe, 36, lives in Pennsylvania, USA, and is married to Sean. They have two sons Luke, 11, and Lincoln, six.
At 5ft 6in and a UK size 18-20, I’m not the most obvious person to be a Kate lookalike, but ever since I began posting pictures of myself dressed as her on Instagram in 2016 I’ve picked up nearly 3,000 followers – and counting. I work with brands who give me clothes, and I’m on my way to earning an income as an influencer.
After Kate got engaged I instantly fell in love with her blue Issa engagement dress and her style. My husband Sean, 40, often says I look like her and, for me, that’s the greatest compliment because Kate’s the most beautiful woman in the world.
As social media grew I started following Kate-related Instagram pages and saw there weren’t any fuller-figured lookalikes. I was scared to put myself out there, but Sean encouraged me – “Do it!” he said. “Maybe you’ll inspire somebody else.”
I stick to natural make-up – a nice base, shaped eyebrows and maybe some eyeliner – and blow-dry my hair with a loose curl. I get friends or Sean to take pictures of me in my garden, mainly. My sons think being an influencer is very cool.
As a stay-at-home mum I have a tight budget, so I hunt for ebay bargains, finding things Kate’s worn. It can take hours and it took a whole decade to find a cashmere-blend Ralph Lauren turtleneck sweater dress she wore in 2011, which I managed to get for $25 (about £18). The most expensive item I own is Kate’s Barbour Winter Defence Jacket, a gift from Sean so I don’t know the cost – he’s so supportive.
On my bucket list is to get hold of the blue LK Bennett
Addison dress Kate wore when the Obamas visited Kensington Palace. It’s absolutely gorgeous!
There’s a lovely Instagram community with other “Kates” – we all adore her and share tips. People post, “Where did you get that?” and if someone can’t afford to buy Kate’s exact version, we all rally around to help find something similar that costs less. I prefer recreating her casual looks, which I can wear a lot.
Now other plus-size ladies tell me I’ve inspired them, and that’s sweet because we’re not usually represented. I’ve never thought about losing weight to look like her, if anything this has proved I can be me and do this. Thankfully I’ve not had to deal with trolls or any kind of negativity. At 40 now, Kate inspires me in more ways than just fashion. She’s so graceful and collected, and as an anxiety sufferer I try to channel that. Wearing even just her earrings makes me feel more confident and composed.
She’s a great mum, too. I saw a video of Charlotte having a tantrum and thought, “OK, I can cope too” because Kate did it in front of all these important people. It’s been such a positive experience.