Kate Middleton’s Secret to Staying Comfortable in High Heel Shoes All Day Long

There are three types of ladies in this world: those who wear heels throughout the day (but furiously throw them across the room the moment they get home), those who pack flats in their purses to slip into once their heels get too painful, and those who forgo the torturous shoe altogether!

Believe us when we say that we have happily (or not so happily) existed in all three of the above categories, but these days, we’ve found ourselves rooted firmly in the third—the anti-heels brigade.

Don’t get us wrong, we love the sky-high boost that the shoes give us, but not enough to bite our lips in pain as we do the “Bambi on ice walk” through the office to our next meeting. You know what we’re talking about, ladies…

Having said that, there is an exception to every rule, and the exception to our “heels just hurt so darn much, we will never wear them ever again” rule is none other than the radiant Duchess Kate.

You’ve surely noticed by now that this royal is rarely, if ever, seen wearing flat shoes; quite the feat considering the gal looks so darn happy all of the time! Now, we always just assumed that marrying a prince was enough to make anyone smile—even in 5-inch heels—but apparently the Duchess suffers shoe-related pain just like the rest of us.

The Duchess of Cambridge’s long fashion journey…in heels!

The stylish folks over at Vanity Fair revealed Kate’s weakness in a 2015 issue. The mag reported that, before the Duchess found her high heel secret, she actually favored wearing wedges. Not a bad trade-off, right?

There’s no denying that these “high heel cheats” are more comfortable than stilettos, say, but sources reveal that the Queen “isn’t a fan of wedged shoes.” Apparently, she has made her opinion known because Kate hasn’t been seen in the clunky footwear in ages. Yikes!

“So, how does the royal stay comfortable in her high-heeled footwear?” you may ask. Inserts, of course!

Now, we’re not talking about the shoe inserts that you buy at your local drug store. Kate prefers Alice Bow, a luxury brand based in the U.K. that focuses on making ultra-slim, fine Italian leather inserts for both heels and flats.

A source close to the family claims that Prince William’s honey loves the comfy product so much that she has ordered several packets of the $19 insoles. Hey—they ain’t cheap, but if they really are the key to all-day comfort in heels, then we’re willing to give this product a try!

To check out the super-sleek Alice Bow shoe inserts and learn more about how they work, be sure to watch the video below. Spoiler alert: You’ll even get to catch a glimpse of Kate playing field hockey in her heels. That’s how you know those insoles get the job done!

OK, ladies, we’d love to hear your thoughts on all things heels. Are you a heels-wearer? If so, do you have any tricks for staying comfortable in the shoes throughout the day? Are you a fan of the Alice Bow inserts?