Kate's new nickname inspired by 'People's Princess' Diana

Kate Middleton has long been compared to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, and now she's earned a touching nickname inspired by the Princess of Wales.

Known as the 'People's Princess' for her unprecedented connection to the British public and dedication to charitable work, Diana was beloved for her sweet nature and the gentle way she interacted with 'commoners'.

Diana was the first royal to embrace an AIDS sufferer and kicked off a period of change in the way people dealing with HIV/AIDS were treated in society.

She took impoverished children in her arms during royal tours to Africa and walked across minefields to raise awareness of the dangers of uncleared war zones in countries like Angola.

In short, she earned her name, and there's a reason she's still remembered so fondly more than 20 years after her tragic death.

Now Kate Middleton is carrying on Diana's legacy and has earned a touching nickname of her own; the 'Children's Princess'.

Fans have started calling her by the sweet name across social media, commenting on posts from the Kensington Royal Instagram and Twitter accounts praising her for her work with children.

"Duchess Catherine truly is a Children's Princess. Well done everyone who's involved in this great project!!" one fan commented on a post about Kate's latest early childhood project.

Another added: "Beautiful Kate, excellent job, wonderful Duchess and Children's Princess."

Last month the duchess launched a landmark survey aiming to "spark a national conversation" in the UK about the first five years of children's lives.

The survey, called '5 big questions on the under-5s', encourages Brits across the country to share their views on how the next generation should be raised.

"Parents, carers and families are at the heart of caring for children in the formative years, so that is why I want to listen to them," the royal mum-of-three said in a statement.

It's just the latest in a series of children's development projects she's been involved in over the years, having taken a special interest in children's causes early in her royal career.

The 'Children's Princess' is set to continue the Royal Foundation project throughout 2020, exploring issues such as the impact of parents' mental health on children's development, and the power of nature versus nurture.

As for her new nickname, fans seems to be fond of it on social media and with Kate's dedication to children's causes only growing stronger, we have a feeling it's going to stick.