Kate Middleton Earns Praise for Keeping Composure while Holding a Snake in Her Hands

The Duchess of Cambridge awed everyone with her ability to deal with a corn snake during her unannounced day trip to Northern Ireland on February 12.

Kate Middleton visited the Ark Open Farm in Newtownards and interacted with various animals, such as an alpaca, a rabbit and baby lambs. What amazed people was the calm with which she held a snake in her hands.

Although she confessed that it was the first time she had picked one up, she held out her arms and asked the keeper how to hold the pale yellow reptile named Sophie correctly.

She began with cautiously asking whether it was okay, before adding: "Is there a way to hold her? Wow, look at that."

The Duchess heaped praises on the reptile, saying she had the “most amazing skin”, exclaiming “How cool is that?”

The snake's handler spoke to Mirror, saying they had originally planned to not bring the snake out to the Duchess as they had been advised she had a fear of them.

But Kate said she wanted to see the snake. The handler added that it was “good fun” meeting the Duchess, adding she was “good at approaching people” and making sure “everyone felt comfortable”.

The report added that during her one-stop solo visit to Northern Ireland, Kate met the owners and staff of the farm and spent time with young children.

She will return to Ireland on a short visit in March with her husband, Prince William.