Princess Kate‘s latest portrait has sparked debate among fans. The image — which was commissioned by Tatler magazine — was released on Wednesday, May 22, and is a painting of Kate, 42, against a blue background wearing a long white gown, a silver crown and a blue sash. The magazine unveiled the portrait via social media as part of its July 2024 cover issue.
“This recent portrait comes as a follow up to Tatler’s July 2022 Platinum Jubilee cover of Queen Elizabeth II and the July 2023 Coronation cover of King Charles III,” an Instagram post by Tatler read. “The two portraits inspired the new Akoje Residency in collaboration with the King’s Foundation, for African, Caribbean and diasporic artists to spend time at the King’s estate, Dumfries House in Scotland, to focus on their artistic practice.”
In response to the post, countless social media users slammed the painting, with many claiming it looks nothing like the Princess of Wales.
“This portrait is awful, there are so many amazing artists out there, surely they could have found a better one,” one commenter wrote. “What a horrible portrait for a beautiful woman,” another chimed in.
A separate person went so far as to comment, “Who is making decisions on these commissions? The portraits are getting weirder and weirder. This is quite amateurish, does not resemble HRH. Considering what she’s going through, I guess this will give her a good chuckle [sic].”
The third commenter was likely referring to Kate’s cancer battle, which the royal revealed in a video message back in March. After previously undergoing abdominal surgery in January, she was eventually diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer. In her public statement, Kate acknowledged that this was the reason why she wasn’t seen in public for months.
“As you can imagine, this has taken time,” Kate said in the clip. “It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK.”
Kate shares her children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis with her husband, Prince William. At the end of her message, Kate noted that she was looking forward to returning to her work when she is cleared by her medical team.
“We hope you’ll understand that as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment,” she concluded. “My work has alway brought me a deep sense of joy, and I look forward to being back when I’m able. But for now, I must focus on making a full recovery.”