Yahoo News New portrait of Kate Middleton leaves royal fans saying the same thing
A new portrait of the Princess of Wales, honouring her bravery and dignity, is to feature on the cover of Tatler magazine. The artwork, created by British-Zambian artist Hannah Uzor, draws inspiration from Kate's video message to the nation following her cancer diagnosis.
However, the portrait has sparked criticism among Royal enthusiasts on social media, with some questioning its resemblance to the princess. Comments ranged from "Is this a parody? " to "That is never the princess, that is another woman in her dress", with others labelling it as "dreadful".
The painting also depicts the princess at the first state banquet of the King's reign. She is portrayed standing tall and facing forward, donned in a regal, white Jenny Packham floor-length evening gown with sparkling shoulder details, and her favourite tiara, the Lover's Knot. This ensemble was worn by her at the South African state banquet held at Buckingham Palace in November 2022.
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The backdrop of the portrait is a blend of green and blue hues, symbolising Kate's eye colour and her fondness for gardens and water bodies, indicative of her love for rowing, according to the artist. When asked if the princess's recent public address regarding her cancer diagnosis influenced her perspective, Uzor responded: "Without a doubt. All my portraits are made up of layers of a personality, constructed from everything I can find about them."
She further added that the public address demonstrated "a moment of dealing with something difficult, speaking from the heart, having the courage to tackle it head-on,". The artist shared her deep respect for the princess, who has taken a step back from public duties as she undergoes chemotherapy.
"She has really risen up to her role she was born for this. She carries herself with such dignity, elegance and grace," Uzor remarked. The St Albans-based painter, also a mother of three like Kate, commented further: "'I sense with her the joy of motherhood."
Other comments from fans, published on Tatler's instagram feed, included: "Lol! Look absolutely nothing like her, though!"
Another said: "No resemblance". While another posted that it is "not a great image", another questioned why the "terrible" painting was allowed to be published.
Uzor is honoured to be the third artist commissioned by Tatler to paint a Royal portrait, following Sarah Knights' portrayal of the King for the magazine's July 2023 edition and Oluwole Omofemi's homage to Queen Elizabeth II for the Platinum Jubilee issue last year. These commissions were inspired by England rugby icon Maro Itoje and his business associate Khalil Akar, who established The Akoje Residency Programme in partnership with the King's Foundation, aiming to nurture African, Caribbean and diasporic artistic talent at Dumfries House in Scotland.
Uzor rose to prominence with her 2020 portrait of Sara Forbes Bonetta, Queen Victoria's African goddaughter, as part of an English Heritage initiative to celebrate historical African diaspora figures in English history. Last week saw the grand reveal of the first official portrait of the King since his ascension to the throne.
The artwork by Jonathan Yeo presents a compelling image of Charles, enveloped in an intense red glow. Social media users were quick to liken the portrait to a horror film poster, with some even suggesting it looked as though the King was "burning in hell".
A butterfly rests on his shoulder included at the behest of the King himself symbolising both his passion for nature and environmental conservation, as well as his transformation from Prince to Sovereign.
The complete article is featured in the July edition of Tatler, available for digital download and on newsstands starting May 30.
