"Is This A Parody?": New Portrait Of Kate Middleton Draws Backlash

A new portrait of Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales was unveiled on Wednesday and since then it has received its share of criticism from the public. Painted by the British-Zambian artist Hannah Uzor and published on the cover of Tatler magazine's July issue, the portrait depicts the princess wearing a floor-length Jenny Packham white dress with a blue ribbon wrapped around her that she wore to a state banquet in 2022. The portrait honours the princess' "courage and dignity" amidst the cancer battle.

Hannah Uzor created the portrait, titled 'The Princess of Wales - A Portrait of Strength and Dignity'.

Several social media took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their reactions to the portraits. Many users said that the portrait did not capture the princess' likeness accurately.

Doesn't look like Catherine at all. Of she wasn't wearing that dress I'd have no clue as to who it's meant to be.

— According2Taz (@according2_taz) May 22, 2024

A user wrote, "Sorry, as much as I love that you have the Princess of Wales on the cover, that looks nothing like her."

Another user commented, "It's a no from me, as much as I admire the time and effort expended, the dress, the background, it is not Princess Catherine's face." 

The third user commented, "Is this a parody?"

However, there was a section of internet users who supported the artwork. A user simply wrote, "I like it". 

The princess did not sit for the portrait as she is taking a break from facing duties following her cancer diagnosis. 

Knowing she was entering a minefield, artist Hannah Uzor signed on to paint a portrait of Catherine, Princess of Wales, one of the world's most closely watched people on the planet. In an interview with Tatler magazine, which commissioned the artwork for their July cover, Uzor revealed she planned to delve deep into Princess Kate's image, studying countless photos from the Getty archive.

The portrait comes after the first official portrait of King Charles III was unveiled at Buckingham Palace. The artwork also garnered criticism due to its prominent red background and tone.