William and Kate’s New Family Photo Gets One Thing Right That Meghan’s Many Instagram Posts Don’t
Captured by trusted photographer Matt Porteous during a family getaway to Cornwall, William and Kate are seen lounging on the grass with their children.
To mark their 15th wedding anniversary on April 29, Prince William and Princess Catherine released an official family portrait. While fans loved the two in a natural setting, for royal experts, the image served a dual purpose — emphasizing the vast difference between the Waleses’ public image and that of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Captured by trusted photographer Matt Porteous during a family getaway to Cornwall, the Prince and Princess of Wales are seen lounging on the grass alongside Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Dressed casually and barefoot, the family of five looked remarkably relaxed, joined by their two pet dogs, Orla and Otto. But for brand expert Nick Ede, the image stands apart from the photos typically shared by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Express, Ede suggested that the Cornwall portrait’s accessible and candid feel creates a better bond with the public, contrasting sharply with the more shielded and polished visuals released by the Duke and Duchess. While the Sussexes, who often lean toward artistic shots that often cover their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s faces, the Waleses went for a more transparent and candid approach, which, according to the expert, is quite essential for maintaining royal popularity. “As royal images go, it beats anything that Meghan and Harry have posted because it's natural, fun, and honest, which royal fans love,” he remarked.
Stripping away the usual royal formality, the portrait highlighted the family’s status through a modern lens, creating a look that Ede described as “a glorious image of the family together, relaxed, enjoying the sunshine and looking polished, but not too perfect.” By avoiding a staged appearance, William and Catherine offered a look at royal life that is grounded and real, rather than something distant or out of reach. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the photo was the visible interaction between the couple and their kids. In the portrait, the Princess of Wales was captured holding Louis’ hand while the Prince of Wales was seen smiling at George.
Ede remarked, “What is great to see is the genuine joy that’s emanating from all of the five of the family – and the dogs too!” After a couple of years marked by personal challenges, the image also appears to signal normalcy and a desire to share their personal milestones more directly with the public, though the same cannot be said about Harry and Markle. Following their move to the US in 2020, the California-based couple has used a strategy of releasing carefully curated snaps, often by obscuring their children’s faces.
Even though the kids appear much more frequently in Markle’s posts now — including clips of Archie skiing with Harry and Lillibet running in the garden — she has not shown their faces in any of the videos. While the Sussexes prioritize their children’s privacy, William and Catherine appear to be doubling down on the tradition of visibility that has defined their fifteen years of marriage.
