Kate Middleton’s ‘Unprecedented’ Decision to Avoid George, Charlotte, and Louis Experiencing the Same ‘Damage’ as Prince William
Taking photos of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis isn’t just a sweet tradition for Kate Middleton. In doing so, the Princess of Wales has, according to commentators, sidestepped the “damage” Prince William, the Prince of Wales, experienced.
Kate’s taken ‘control’ by photographing George, Charlotte, and Louis
“The Princess of Wales understands who she is, [and] the position that she’s in,” Afua Hagan, a royal commentator and journalist, said in the Kate: A Queen for the Future documentary (via OK).
“She also understands the interest in her family, especially her children, that people want to see them growing up. So she understands that the press needs these pictures.”
She’s “seen firsthand through her husband, Prince William, the damage that the press has done to his life,” Hagan continued. “And so she’s realised [sic] that if she can do something about that, if she can take control, then she should do that.”
“Kate did something which was unprecedented at the time. She decided that she was going to be the one to photograph her own children, which I think was an absolutely brilliant move.”
“She’s decided I will take them and I will deliver them to the press agencies. I’ll be the one that post[s] them on social media,” Hagan explained.
Furthermore, as royal biographer Ingrid Seward noted, by becoming the “main photographer of the family,” Kate spared George, Charlotte, and Louis the potential stress of posing for a stranger.
The Wales kids occasionally have their photo taken by a professional photographer instead of Kate
Kate doesn’t exclusively photograph George, Charlotte, and Louis. Sometimes, she and William opt to have a professional take photos of their kids.
The future queen wasn’t behind the camera taking George’s birthday portrait when he turned 10 in July 2023. Instead, professional photographer Millie Pilkington snapped George’s photo.
The same thing happened when Louis turned 5 in April 2023. Unlike Charlotte, whose 2023 birthday photo was taken by Kate, Pilkington was again responsible for this picture. It adorably showed Louis being pushed in a wheelbarrow by his mom. (Does it get much cuter than that?)
Outside of birthday photos, the royal family of five has posed for professional photographers for holiday cards. In 2023, William, Kate, and their three kids wore white shirts in a photo taken by Josh Shinner for their official holiday card.
The photo tradition was put into question after Mother’s Day snap
The future of William and Kate’s long-held tradition of releasing photos of George, Charlotte, and Louis became unclear when, for U.K. Mother’s Day on March 10, 2024, Kensington Palace released a photo—taken by William—of Kate with the kids.
It marked Kate’s first official appearance since Christmas 2023 and her January 2024 abdominal surgery. At the time, conspiracy theories swirled online. They reached a fever pitch with the photo’s release, which quickly came under fire for being edited.
It led to a public apology from Kate and more speculation about her health and whereabouts. Finally, on March 22, 2024, she announced her cancer diagnosis.
Between the photo’s release and Kate’s announcement, there were questions about whether William and Kate would continue releasing personal photos of George, Charlotte, and Louis.
Ultimately, the couple decided to keep up the tradition, albeit with one change. William and Kate released a photo of Louis to mark his birthday on April 23, 2024, without going through major photo agencies.
