Why Don't Prince William and His Three Kids Face the Camera in Father's Day Pic?

• The Waleses celebrated Father's Day with a new image taken by one of the parents of three.
• The photo divided netizens' opinions, while an expert speculated on the reason for its angle.
• This isn't the first time that the family has faced criticism for a social media picture.

On June 16, 2024, many people celebrated Father's Day. People honored the day by posting social media images of their husbands, grandfathers, uncles, and more. A couple, who are members of one of the United Kingdom's royal families, also took part by posting on Instagram.

Prince William and Princess Kate's fans who saw their post were left with questions over how the Father's Day image was shot. Yet others expressed their adoration. The speculated reason behind the angle chosen by the Princess of Wales is fascinating.

The Prince and Princess of Wales's Instagram page was abuzz with activity in celebration of Father's Day. The latter posted a new photo of the former on the account. According to Kensington Palace, the picture was taken in May 2024 on a beach on the Norfolk coast.

The image showed Prince William posing with his children while facing away from the camera, looking out to sea. The royal and his three children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, were embracing while dressed casually in shorts.

Reports revealed that the photo's caption was the first time a message by the three children was shared on the Waleses' social media accounts. The loving message to their father read, "We love you, Papa. Happy Father’s Day 💕 G, C & L."

"G, C & L" are the initials of William's children. Something else noted in the post was that William's wife, Princess Kate, took the picture. The post led to positive comments on the Daily Mail's article.

Some readers who agreed said things like, "What I think is lovely about this photo. William and the children are intertwined as being one." Others replied to the Instagram post, with one person sharing what they loved about the Waleses.

The netizen wrote, "I truly love this beautiful family. They take care of each other and put family above all else. Prince William seems to be an amazing dad, and I am sure those kids think so, and that’s all that matters! Family. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads!"

Another fan stated, "Beautiful picture!! It almost looks like a drawing! I absolutely love it! Happy Father’s Day Prince William. I hope you have an amazing day with your family." Someone who was moved by the post commented, "This photo is adorable🥺🥺, like all the photos of your family, happy Father's Day to Prince William 🥳🥳🥳"

The person added, "I'm sure George, Charlotte and Louis will make this day special for William." But several people who read the Daily Mail article about the image weren't too pleased with the picture.

In its article about the image, the publication revealed that some fans described it as "perfect." But one reader questioned, "Why is this photo 'perfect'? We can't even see their faces." Someone else complained that a "Woke photograph of the back of people isn’t perfect if it isn’t Harry and Meghan doing it it’s the York sisters."

The person continued, "Take a photograph from the front with faces." Another unhappy netizen asked, "Why is a photo of their backs 'beautiful??'"

A netizen who analyzed the image said, "There's a sadness about this photo. A happier picture would have Kate as part of the family and everyone facing the camera." Speaking to a different publication, a body language expert tried to explain why Kate took the picture at that angle.

Judi James speculated that they chose to be photographed from behind to "avoid actually communicating with the camera." She added, "It suggests this is an intimate and loving moment caught rather than a ‘show pony’ one posed to please the viewer.”

Sadly, this wasn't the first time that Kate's photos were criticized. For 2024's Mother's Day, she shared a picture where she was seated and surrounded by their three children. She captioned the post thanking fans and followers for their "kind wishes and continued support over the last two months."

The royal concluded her post by "Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day. C." The support she mentioned had to do with her cancer diagnosis earlier in the year. The image, which the Princess was credited for, was accused of being Photoshopped.

A publication that obtained metadata for the original photo said the photo was taken at the royal couple's Windsor home of Adelaide Cottage. The report alleged that the picture was saved twice in Photoshop on an Apple MacBook.

The first time was allegedly on a Friday night and then again on Saturday morning before its public release by Kensington Palace. When the image was first posted, Prince William was credited as the photographer. The royals also claimed that it was taken ahead of Mother's Day.

Some things noted as having been Photoshopped included Charlotte's hand overlapping her mother's left one, showing a blur. Princess Kate's wedding ring also appeared to be edited out. Louis' sweater pattern seemed not to line up when looked at closely, and his mother's jacket zipper appeared to disappear and reappear.

In what seemed to be an effort to quell the criticism, Kate took to X with a post the day after the Mother's Day post went out. She explained that like other "amateur photographers," she sometimes experiments with editing.

William's wife wrapped things up by apologizing for "any confusion" caused by the Mother's Day photo. She redirected the attention, saying she hoped everyone who celebrated the holiday had a happy one.