The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released a new family photo for Mother’s Day (in the UK, which is March 30 – in the US, Mother’s Day isn’t until May). The photo features Prince William, Kate, Prince George, and Lupo at the window of Kensington Palace. William has his arm around Lupo, and Kate is holding George. George is looking at Lupo, and Lupo looks like he’s thinking, “Stop staring at me kid, you’re freaking me out.” Or he could be thinking, “Don’t touch me, please don’t touch me. It’s my tail/ears/whatever, leave me alone.” I wouldn’t be surprised if George was a tail puller.
I have to say, I’m not liking this photo. I mean, it’s nice that we got a new photo, but it’s not all intimate and loving and natural like the press is claiming. To me, this photo reads cold and distant. Is it a coincidence that we are viewing them through the window? It’s not an invitation into their intimate family moment—as other royal baby pictorials have been—it’s giving a peek into their family, but still blocking the viewer out. There is literally a wall there between the viewer and the Cambridges. It’s like they’re saying, “We’re in here, you are out there and you don’t get to come in.” It’s a reflection of William’s attitude toward the press and public.
Also, the photo is not a natural moment, it is very staged. The only one who is natural in that photo is George. Both William and Kate are overly posed. Kate’s expression is almost pained, like she can’t even muster up enough energy to fake her manic smiles she usually does (seriously, something must be really wrong with her if she can’t even pull out her manic, fake expressions). There is a disconnect between William and Kate. Had it not been for George looking at Lupo, I would say that the two halves (William and Lupo/Kate and George) had been taken separately and photoshopped together to form one picture. It’s very strange.
Also, this is more a criticism of the photographer, the picture is washed out; the color has been de-saturated. Jason Bell did this with the Christening photos, too. It’s an awful look. It makes the photo look even more dreary and lifeless.
The whole photo is cold, distant, dreary and lifeless. Why they went with this one to release is beyond me. If they were trying to show a happy family moment, they failed. You know what’s a happy family baby photo? This one. And this one. And this one. And this one. Oh, and this one, too. And those are just the top Google searches. There are plenty more. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting that from George.
Here’s the Daily Mail article about the photo. Everything I’ve said, they’ve said the opposite. The sycophancy is off the charts. I don’t know what photo they’re looking at, but it sure isn’t this new one. Oh, lol, I just realized who wrote the article: Katie Nicholl. No wonder it’s so sycophantic. Here’s the Express article. The Mirror article. People’s take.
I’ve seen the photo and my first thought was… “did they do the window shot so they could keep the photographer at a distance from Kate?” Did they use the photos taken by Michael Middleton of Kate, William and George so an outsider was not allowed close to Kate? She doesn’t look ok but at least she is holding George – see the photos of the christening and when holding George Kate looks like she is carrying a parcel. There doesn’t seem to be the sort of interaction that you would normally see between mother and baby. At least George seems animated, perhaps he will be the one to save this family?
these too are hilarious, they look cheap, tacky, zara and mia looked ike royals in their family pic
Very good observations about the wall! When I first saw the picture, I though there was something odd about it, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. I realized that it was the background that seemed out of place. If you look at the room behind them, it’s all black. Not sure whether this an aesthetic thing, a security thing or what, but it comes across as cold and empty. There is no life in the room.
Everything is so cold and dark in the photo. The black background, the window, everything is shutting out the viewer. Must be an aesthetic thing, I can’t see how showing a glimpse of their interior decoration would be a threat to security.
Why not show the baby’s face? I know i am
being difficult! It would be nice to see the
little guy’s visage.
Not being difficult at all. They know everyone wants to see the baby, so picking a picture where the baby’s face is in profile is dumb.
George side shot is clever, now what is it hiding ? who he looks like or his brown eyes. George is a Goldsmith and looks like Garry Goldsmith a ringer for him…odd , not sure how that would be.
No face, no eyes and no looking into their home. YOu mugs pay for it but no peeking.Disgusting and I refused to be treated like an idiot
I thought about the eyes things, too. I could see why they would choose a profile shot if they wanted to keep George’s brown eyes (that he doesn’t get from either of his parents – Will=blue Kate=green) under wraps. They don’t want people being all, “where’d he get those brown eyes from?”
This photographer is ridiculous – so much photoshop that all humanness is wiped out and they look like dolls- same issue with the baptism pics.In those the only person who looked real was the baby and thats prob because he had no lines to begin with!! Kate n Wills must like this artificialness!!
Exactly. Too much retouching makes everything seem odd. They do look like mannequins.
I’m glad you included links to photos of Diana and Charles with William. The pure joy of the parents is evident in those photos. Kate and William just don’t seem joyful.
Sarah Whalen latest post the royal portrait at
buyoubuzz is very interesting!
its their fault that they are miserable, u should never make your mistress your wife!