Fans and critics alike rushed to react. Some were baffled, asking why the Princess walked backwards in the first place, while others marveled at her balance. “God, how did she do those steps in heels?” one commenter wrote, while another admitted, “To me seems a bit dangerous.”
A few practical voices came to her defense. “It is easier to go down backwards in heels,” one explained. “Easier still if you let the heel hang off the edge of the step and put your weight on the toe.” Another related to the technique on a personal level, adding: “I do that as well. It helps with fear of heights.”
But not everyone was impressed. “Why does she have to wear such high heels?” asked one critic, while others complained that she looked uncomfortable. More blunt remarks followed, including, “She could always wear appropriate shoes… but she never does.”

Still, even the skeptics acknowledged her composure, with one fan summing it up best: “She looks beautiful. I just don’t understand why she didn’t wear more practical footwear — she would still look lovely.”
In the end, Catherine’s poised descent may have been just a small moment in a day filled with official duties. Yet it became the defining image of the visit, blending the formality of her royal role with the glamour — and controversy — of her signature style.