Princess Catherine’s newly unveiled portrait heavily criticized.

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.