‘Is This a Joke?’: Princess Catherine’s New Portrait Has Been Revealed, Causing Online Backlash

A new portrait of Princess Catherine of Wales for the July 2024 cover of Tatler magazine has sparked an online backlash. British-Zambian artist Hannah Uzor painted the portrait, and it shows Catherine dressed in an elegant white gown with a cape, blue sash, and crown.

The cover completes a royal triptych, following Tatler’s previous portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III. However, many netizens expressed strong opinions about the portrait. One user bluntly asked, “Is this a joke?”

Another asserted, “This is not HRH The Princess of Wales. God knows who it is, but it is not HRH.” Even those who aren’t particularly fans of the princess found the artwork offensive, with one stating, “I am not a Kate fan but that portrait is an insult.”

The lack of likeness was a common criticism, as comments like “No resemblance” and “This is not resembling her at all,” were echoed by several individuals.

Additionally, a commenter highlighted their unmet expectation for art to capture the essence of its subject: “I don’t necessarily expect art to resemble A photo of the subject but this has captured nothing of her essence- not even her dimples! Btw I personally love the new red painting of the King!”

The criticism of Catherine’s portrait came after Charles unveiled his all-red portrait by artist Jonathan Yeo. Displayed at Buckingham Palace, the painting showed the King wearing the red uniform of the Welsh Guards.

The King’s painting left many feeling uneasy, casting a shadow over what should have been a regal representation. “One of the creepiest royal portraits I’ve ever seen. Horrible!” exclaimed one observer.

Another expressed discontent, admitting, “I don’t get a good feeling from viewing this portrait at all. Apologies to the artist, but it’s not pleasant to look at.”

Before the buzz and backlash over royal portraits, King Charles honored Catherine with a significant title. In April, he appointed her a Royal Companion of the Order of the Companions of Honour at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Catherine is the first member of the royal family to receive this distinction. The prestigious award, founded by King George V in 1917, recognizes outstanding contributions to the arts, science, medicine, or government.

The Order of the Companions of Honour, considered a junior class to the Order of Merit, is limited to 65 members at any one time. The order acknowledges long-term contributions of national importance and includes notable figures such as Dame Maggie Smith and the late Stephen Hawking.

While Catherine and Charles have made news with their portraits and royal titles, Catherine has not yet returned to her official royal duties since her last public appearance in November 2023. According to a spokesperson, the princess will resume her duties once a specific condition is met.

A Kensington Palace spokesperson and a senior royal aide recently shared updates about Princess Catherine’s highly-anticipated return to her public duties.

“She will return to work when she has had the green light from doctors,” said the senior royal aide. The matter of the princess’s return came up because she is leading a new project.

The project involves encouraging businesses to adopt more family-friendly practices in the workplace. It is part of an ongoing initiative to see how children’s developmental needs may be best prioritized.

Princess Catherine’s Royal Foundation report showed that investing in early childhood could add over $57 billion (£45.5 billion) to the national economy each year.

Palace officials have been telling members of parliament and senior ministers about the report’s findings and explaining that the project is not political. More importantly, the spokesperson said that this news does not mean Princess Catherine is returning to her public life yet.

The spokesman clarified that the princess, who has not taken on any public duties this year, has been working on the project as she recovers at home. “She has been kept up to date since the inception of the task force and she has read the report and been briefed on it. This is a clear commitment she has made […] throughout her life of public service,” explained the royal aide.

They went on to disclose, “That will continue when she returns to work. But we have been really clear that she needs the space and privacy to recover right now.”

On behalf of Princess Catherine, the executive director of the Centre for Early Childhood, Christian Guy, stated, “I know […] that she is enormously grateful to the members of the Taskforce who have made such fantastic progress on this work over the past year.”

One event that contributed to the Centre for Early Childhood’s significant progress was the Shaping Us National Symposium. This took place in November 2023 and was the last public engagement Princess Catherine attended.

A post about the successful event was shared on Instagram, with pictures of the princess speaking and engaging with attendees.

“Today we brought together an influential cross-disciplinary group of leaders and experts with the shared endeavour of understanding how we lay foundations for happier, healthier lives […] Thank you to everyone that joined us,” expressed part of the caption accompanying the post.

The positive memories of Catherine’s last public engagement are very different from the current situation. Her cancer diagnosis has also affected her loved ones, including her husband, Prince William.

Naturally, the Prince of Wales has found it very hard dealing with not only a wife with cancer but a father with cancer, too. Although he had returned to his public duties after taking some time off to be with his wife and their children, they remain his top priority.

Royal biographer Ingrid Seward says, “For William, everything hinges on Kate’s well-being.” According to a media outlet, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis’s parents have stuck to their family-comes-first mantra.

The couple has always been there for their kids. Family time, school pick-ups, and drop-offs have been priorities throughout their 13-year marriage.

Speaking further on the matter, another royal biographer, Robert Lacey, added, “From what we know of their personal lives, for William and Kate, spending time with their children is the most precious and enjoyable thing they can do.”

Princess Catherine and Prince William are rightly focusing on their children during this tough time. However, updates on the Princess of Wales’ condition haven’t calmed the public’s nerves due to her continued absence.

Worried fans and critics alike have shared their thoughts and prayers concerning Princess Catherine’s health status. One deeply concerned observer commented, “Her cancer worries me. Many cancers in the abdominal area are very serious. I pray for strength and healing! She is a great mummy.”

The sentiment was echoed by another user who remarked, “No one has seen her for over 140 days… [something’s] up folks.. I personally want a wellness check. I don’t trust these ‘Royals.’ You can [virtually signal] all you want, but this woman might be in trouble..“

Further adding to the discourse, someone else stated, “Ms Kate has disappeared in plain sight and everybody thinks that’s okay SMH.” Meanwhile, another user expressed hope and support, saying, “So So Sad for Katherine..Prayers, she will get through all of this, and be well, and live a long life with family.”