A royal photographer said Prince William and Kate Middleton are the 'best thing' to happen to the monarchy

• Kent Gavin photographed and had a close relationship with Princess Diana.
• He told Insider Prince William and Kate Middleton are the "best thing" to happen to the monarchy.
• The couple has taken a more informal approach to public life in recent months.

A royal photographer who was close to Princess Diana told Insider that Prince William and Kate Middleton are the "best thing" to happen to the monarchy.

Kent Gavin worked as a royal photographer for the Daily Mirror for years, and he developed a close relationship with Princess Diana.

He photographed her wedding, went on royal tours with her, and she even requested him as the photographer for Prince William's christening.

Gavin recently discussed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's step back from the royal family in a conversation with Insider, saying that he thought Diana would not have approved of Harry's public comments about his family.

In contrast, the photographer went on to say that he thinks William and Middleton's recent approach to royal life can help the monarchy continue to thrive despite Harry and Markle's step back.

"Kate and William are totally different and operate in a totally different way," he said. "They're great."

As Insider's Anneta Konstantinides reported, William and Middleton have appeared to change their approach to public life in the months since the Sussexes' interview with Oprah Winfrey, taking a far more relaxed approach.

They have started sharing more personal posts on their social media, taking more engagements with children, and even showing more public displays of affection, which was long believed to be against royal protocol.

For instance, people noticed the couple's 10-year anniversary photos showed William and Middleton being much more affectionate and informal with one another than usual.

Based on his long career working with royals, Gavin thinks William and Middleton's balance of modernity and adherence to royal traditions can help the monarchy live on despite mounting criticism of the institution.

"It's the best thing the royal family could have," Gavin said of the couple. The monarchy "is in good hands with those two, and the little ones as well," he said.

"Whether the institution will last as long as it has, I think it will," he said. "But time will tell."

But Gavin also said he didn't think William, Harry, or their wives could live up to the energy Princess Diana brought to the monarchy.

"There will never be another Diana," he said.