Kate Middleton lookalike says how she dealt with suspicion that she was part of a dark plan

Let’s clarify some things. Heidi Agan is not Catherine, Princess of Wales. She never met Catherine aka Kate Middleton. She has never been contacted by Kensington Palace, nor is she secretly working with the British royal family as part of a plan to hide the princess from public view.

Agan is, however, a 43-year-old British woman, dark and slender, whose face resembles Catherine’s. She turned looking like one of the most famous women in the world into a job, presenting herself at parties and events as a lookalike for hire.

Recently, Agan found himself at the center of an international news cycle as rumors swirled about Catherine’s whereabouts following a surgery announced earlier this year. When Catherine was reported to have been seen on video earlier this month, skeptics were quick to claim that the person in the video was not the missing princess, but rather a look-alike — and some suspected it was Agan.

Agan wants to set the record straight. This conversation has been edited and condensed.

How did you become a copycat Catherine?

It was 12 years ago. I was working as a waitress, and everyone kept saying how much I looked like her. It was around the time of the wedding. I didn’t even think lookalikes were real or that you could make money doing it. Eventually, I sent my photo to a few agents and got my first job a week later. And I stopped being a waitress.

Is this a full-time job for you?

It was. The pandemic wiped out everything, and the entertainment industry, I think, has struggled to recover. Now I work in the management of a dance and musical theater school as well.

You have a different persona when you are presenting yourself as Catherine? How do you act?

As doppelgangers, we study the royal family a lot — the finer details, I suppose, that no one else would really care about, even the perfume she wears.

Say something specific you learned from your research about Catherine.

She always licks her lips when she’s at Westminster Abbey. Usually when they are waiting at the beginning to enter.

What is a typical job like for you? Do you have a lot of parties?

There are many corporate events. There are a lot of American companies that will bring people in, I suppose they’re top salespeople or something. They’ll come to London, and we often do get-togethers at their welcome dinners, because, you know, you’re not going to get Kate and William to show up at your events.

Let’s fast forward to the last few weeks.

It seemed quite funny at first. You know, the “has anyone seen her?” thing. Then it turned into this huge worldwide conspiracy, and somehow I got involved in it.

Have you been harassed online?

I’m getting a lot of messages from people saying, “That was you, wasn’t it?” When I say no, they say, “But you’re being paid to be here in this situation to trick us.” Some of the comments are quite vile, but it’s something I’ve learned to accept. It’s part of that work.

People ask about the tabloid video of Catherine and her husband, Prince William, at a country store in Windsor. The video is grainy, and many people have speculated that the woman in the clip is actually you. To be clear, was it you?

100% no. I was at work, at dance school, about 80 miles from where people think I was. For the record, I think the video is genuine.

Does this job sometimes make you feel insecure?

There are times when someone might go a little crazy or follow you home. Usually if I’ve been on a job in London and someone recognizes you and thinks you’re real. They will follow you as much as they can. I’ve changed trains a few times just to try to lose someone.

There are other lookalikes Catherine?

I think at last count, there were maybe 135. People think there’s competition between us, that we all hate each other. It’s not the case. The world of doppelgangers is this weird and wonderful alternative family.

Has the intrigue in recent weeks been good for business?

Normally, when Kate is out of the spotlight, like when she was pregnant and very ill, the work kind of died down, I think, out of respect for her to make sure she was okay. That’s what I hoped would happen this time. It was really strange that it was the other way around.

You never met Catherineright?

No. I don’t think I’ll ever know either.

If you met her, what would be the first thing you would say?

How do you make your hair look like this?