Kate Middleton’s Tatler Portrait Sparks Outrage Online(Photo Credit –Instagram)
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A recent unveiling of Kate Middleton’s portrait by British-Zambian artist Hannah Uzor triggered uproar online after fans opined that the painting did not capture her likeness. The painting, which appeared on the front cover of Tatler magazine on May 22, was deemed “terrible” by fans, who also used various other unflattering adjectives to describe it.
In the wake of the public outcry, here’s everything we know about the artist behind the Kate Middleton painting.
A new portrait of Kate Middleton painted by British-Zambian artist Hannah Uzor. Royal fans are catching feelings describing it as dreadful, baffling, quirky and nowhere close to the Princess of Wales. Your thoughts? #ZambiaKuchalopic.twitter.com/SZ6SiFHpLM
The painting, which shows Kate Middleton in a white floor-length Jenny Packham evening dress that she wore to the first state banquet of King Charles’ reign in 2022, was painted by British-Zambian artist Hannah Uzor. The 42-year-old artist first gained prominence in 2020 with her portrait of Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter, Sara Forbes Bonetta.
Kate Middleton Painting Artsist Hannah Uzor Graduated From Morley College
According to her bio, Hannah Uzor, who graduated from Morley College with a Higher National Diploma in Fine Arts in 2021, uses research and observation in her works and “draws from a variety of references, including archival images, historical paintings, family photographs, and literature.”
Hannah Uzor, who received the Milein Cosman Scholarship for Drawing at the Slade School of Fine Art in 2021, told Sky News that Kate Middleton did not sit for the portrait commissioned by Tatler. Uzor explained that the painting, which features on the front cover of the July edition, honours Kate Middleton’s “courage and dignity” amid her cancer diagnosis.
Uzor continued that she researched the photos of the Princess of Whales and, for inspiration, used the recent video in which Kate Middleton revealed her cancer diagnosis. Uzor said, “All my portraits are made up of layers of a personality, constructed from everything I can find about them.”
The artist noted that the Cancer diagnosis video showed “a moment of dealing with something difficult, speaking from the heart, having the courage to tackle it head-on.”
Reactions to The Kate Middleton portrait
The cover, unveiled on May 22, elicited divisive reactions online. An overwhelming number of fans slammed the Kate Middleton portrait.
Sky News said The Daily Telegraph’s chief art critic Alastair Sooke described the portrait as “egregiously, intolerably, jaw-hits-the-floor bad.”
Meanwhile, Writing on social media, one person commented, ” It doesn’t even look like her. She’s much prettier than that.”
Another added “Doesn’t look like Princess Catherine at all. Makes you wonder what the aim of the painter was.”
A commenter echoed the statement, writing on X, “That is the ugliest picture of Kate. She looks like a ghost and a marble statue. It shows nothing of her smile and loving eyes. It’s aweful.”
Several fans joined in the chorus of social media users slamming the work.
Totally agree with that, it’s nothing like her, and baffling why they would choose that for a cover as well.
Kate Middleton’s front cover of Tatler magazine comes a week after the first officially painted portrait of King Charles was unveiled at Buckingham Palace on May 14.
