Why Kate Middleton’s New Portrait Has the Internet Divided
Not everyone thinks Kate Middleton's newest portrait is a stroke of genius.
A painting of the Princess of Wales by artist Hannah Uzor—who previously painted the late Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III—was unveiled on the cover of Tatler on May 22, sparking polarizing reactions from royal watchers.
The piece, which was commissioned by the British magazine for its July 2024 issue, showed Kate wearing the famed Lover's Knot tiara and a white caped gown from Jenny Packham while standing in front of a blue gradiant background.
Pearl earrings similar to a set that once belonged to Princess Diana were included in the artwork, as were Kate's sapphire engagement ring from husband Prince William, her Royal Family Order brooch and a large blue sash signifying her position Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.
But despite the portrait replicating the exact look Kate donned to a November 2022 state dinner at Buckingham Palace, some critics did not see the resemblence.
"It looks NOTHING like her," one Instagram user commented under the cover, while another wrote, "I really respect the artist but I also don't see Catherine here."
Meanwhile, a third commenter noted that Kate "NEVER looks that uptight or tense in her arms or shoulders," though they did appreciate "how delicate and realistic the dress looks below the bodice."
However, there were also fans of the painting, with one calling it "so lovely" in the comments.
"It's a beautiful artistic expression of poise and grace," another user added. "Well done!"
The release of Kate's painting came days after her father-in-law Charles unveiled his latest royal portrait, which showed him in a red uniform of the Welsh Guards that almost seamlessly blended in with the crimson background.
Though the piece's artist Jonathan Yeo said he deliberately minimized the visual distractions to "allow people to connect with the human being underneath," the internet was left divided over the unique artistic choice.
"I'm sorry but his portrait looks like he's in hell," one critic quipped in a May 14 post shared on the royal family's Instagram page. Meanwhile, another thought the painting was of a "floating head in a sea of red."
"I don't get a good feeling from viewing this portrait at all," a third user remarked. "Apologies to the artist, but it's not pleasant to look at."
E! News has reached out to Tatler, as well as artists Hannah and Jonathan, for comment but hasn't heard back.
For more royal news, keep reading.
Nearly two months after the Princess of Wales went public with her cancer diagnosis, a spokesperson for Kensington Palace said the royal has no immidiate plans to return to her public-facing duties.
"The princess is not expected to return to work," the rep said in a May 21 statement to BBC, "until it's cleared by her medical team."
On May 13, King Charles III bestowed the title of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps to his oldest son, sparking controversy as many royal watchers believed the title would be more suited for Prince Harry, who trained and served in the military branch.
On April 26, nearly three months after sharing his cancer diagnosis, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles will return to public-facing duties.
The queen consort attended the Royal Maundy Service on March 28 in place of King Charles III, making her the first spouse of the Monarch to continue the ancient tradition.
In a March 22 video message, the Princess of Wales shared that she'd been diagnosed with cancer after undergoing abdominal surgery in January.
"It was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful," she said before noting that tests after the operation found cancer had been present. "My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment."
After photo agencies pulled the picture Kensington Palace shared of Kate since having her abdominal surgery on March 10, the Princess of Wales addressed claims the photo was doctored.
"Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing," she tweeted on March 11. "I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C."
Princess Diana's niece celebrated Mother's Day in the U.K. by sharing she and her husband Michael Lewis privately welcomed their first baby.
“It’s the joy of my life to be your mummy, little one. I love you unconditionally," she captioned her March 10 Instagram post. "Happy Mother’s Day to those who celebrate today."
After keeping up her full slate of engagements in the wake of her husband's cancer diagnosis, the palace cleared Camilla's schedule.
The Times pointed out March 2 that the 76-year-old didn't have any engagements on her calendar until March 11, when she'd be due at Westminster Abbey to observe Commonwealth Day.
The husband of Lady Gabriella Windsor and ex-boyfriend of Pippa Middleton, was found dead Feb. 25. Days later, a coroner's inquest found that he died by suicide.
While King Charles III was in the hospital for his benign prostate enlargement procedure, the royal family member was diagnosed with cancer.
"His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties," Buckingham Palace said Feb. 5. "Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible."
The Duchess of York's rep said in a statement on Jan. 21 that Sarah was recently diagnosed with malignant melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer. Several months prior, she underwent a single mastectomy to treat breast cancer.
On Jan. 14, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark made history as she officially abdicated the throne, handing the crown over to her son, now known as King Frederik the 10th.
Kensington Palace announced on Jan. 17 that Kate Middleton underwent planned abdominal surgery and was set to remain in the hospital for 10 to 14 days.
"Based on the current medical advice," the Palace said, "she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter."
Amid Kate's recovery, Prince William postponed a number of engagements as he supported his family, including the couple's three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Shortly after Kate's hospitalization was made public, Buckingham Palace shared that Charles "has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate."
"His Majesty's condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure," the statement added. "The King’s public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation."
Princess Claire and Prince Felix of Luxembourg welcomed son Balthazar Felix Karl on Jan. 7, the first royal baby of the New Year!
We value your thoughts! Click here to share your feedback and help us improve!