How Kate Middleton and Prince William Are Breaking Royal Tradition On Social Media, But Queen Elizabeth Is Totally Ok With It

Kate Middleton and Prince William are taking full advantage of social media amid the coronavirus lockdown. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have used their Instagram account to update fans like never before, sharing some rare looks at their lives behind closed doors. Although the couple’s recent social media activity could be considered breaking royal traditions, Queen Elizabeth is totally Ok with it.

Kate Middleton and Prince William take to social media amid the lockdown

While the entire world deals with the coronavirus pandemic, William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, have been using social media more than ever. In what has been a rare move on behalf of the royals, the Cambridges are no longer restricting their social media use.

Over the past six weeks, William and Kate have taken to Instagram to engage fans and their various patronages. They have also posted adorable photos of their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, with Kate serving as the primary photographer.

At the end of March, for example, the couple uploaded a sweet pic of their children clapping in support of the National Health Service and frontline workers around the country.

William and Kate are currently living at their country estate, Anmer Hall, and have been following social distancing guidelines. They will likely remain at the estate until the current crisis has abated.

Why Queen Elizabeth is okay with the changes on social media

In the past, the royals have restricted their activity on social media, using various platforms to highlight their work in the charitable world. According to Express, royal expert Leslie Carroll revealed that the royals typically have social media professionals write their posts and rarely “expressed themselves personally” online.

The current crisis, however, has changed that approach. As Carroll pointed out, the royals are quickly adapting to the situation and realize that maintaining their public presence is as important as ever.

“Even an institution that is more than a millennium old must adapt to the times we live in now,” Carroll explained. “The royal family has been a constant presence in the lives of the public for more than a thousand years. And part of ‘keeping calm and carry[ing] on’ is the ability to continue to communicate effectively, continually, and in a reassuring manner.”

This is one reason why Prince William and Kate Middleton have been more active on social media in recent weeks. Not only does it allow them an outlet to promote various charities, but it also lets people know how they are coping with the pandemic.

The Cambridges are not the only ones who have been increasing their social media activity. Although he has taken a more conservative approach, Prince Charles has also used Twitter and Instagram to release messages to the public.

Who manages Kate Middleton and Prince William’s social media presence?

At the beginning of April, William and Kate implemented a big change to their team. The couple hired David Watkins, who used to work with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, to take over their social media accounts.

Watkins did a lot of great work with the Sussexes, who gained over 11 million followers within the first year of launching their Instagram account, Sussex Royal.

William and Kate are hoping that Watkins can work his magic for them. Their Instagram account, Kensington Royal, also has over 11 million followers, but it was launched several years back.

How Kate Middleton and Prince William celebrated Princess Charlotte’s birthday

While William and Kate are hunkering down until the lockdown is lifted, they had to plan the next birthday in their household. Princess Charlotte — who turned 5 on May 2 — and the couple reportedly planned several Zoom conferences for her big day.

According to Observer, William and Kate used the platform to video call Queen Elizabeth, who is staying at Windsor Castle with her husband, Prince Philip, and Charles, who is at his estate in Scotland with Camilla Parker Bowles.

This is similar to what the pair did when Prince Louis turned two years old on April 23. In addition to the phone call, Prince William and Kate Middleton shared a few photos of Louis in celebration of his birthday, and they followed suit with never-before-seen photos of Princess Charlotte.