We’ve seen a lot of Kate Middleton over the past few weeks as she ramps up her official royal engagements. She’s been way more visible since the coronation of King Charles in early May, and her appearances are getting a lot of attention.
Kate isn’t only getting attention because she’s the Princess of Wales and people love her, and it’s not all because she’s been killing it in the fashion game with her Barbiecore vibes either.
Some critics say she wasn’t well-liked by kids and that photos show it.
Recently, Kate attended the first Children’s Picnic at the Royal Hospital Chelsea Flower Show on May 22 at the Chelsea Flower Show.
At the show, 10 schools from the Royal Horticultural Society’s Campaign for School Gardening were invited to bring their students to the picnic, according to the Daily Mail.
Kate helped the kids plan home-grown meals and listened to how adults can better support the kids gardening and well-being.
There was a cute moment where a kid asked the Princess of Wales a very specific question.
At the event, a child asked Kate what it was like to be a princess, and her answer was pretty simple.
“You have to work hard, but you know the best thing about it is meeting kiddies like you,” she said, per the Daily Mail.
A kiddo asked if she could write her name, and Kate had to gently decline, thanks to a weird royal rule.
“I can’t write my name, but I can draw,” Kate told one child before drawing a flower and pond picture.
Another kid asked her name, which Kate responded, “My name’s Catherine. I’m not allowed to write my signature. It’s just one of those rules.”
Those moments weren’t why Kate went viral on Twitter — but they might have played into it.
On the same day as the event, as photos were being released of Kate at the picnic with kids, one person tweeted a collection of images.
“I've been laughing for 10 minutes now,” @Julia44993 wrote on Twitter. “The diversity PR is not really PRing.”
In the snaps, it looks like kids were giving Kate a side-eye, snarky face, and generally had a vibe that they weren’t feeling her visit.
Not PR-ing at all pic.twitter.com/j5zHsgVwBz
— haso քուրօ (@kooyrig) May 25, 2023
“You know how desperate you gotta be to put these pics up and think you’re doing something?” read one of the re-tweets, which was seen 1.6 million times.
The photos were viewed more than 3.3 million times on Twitter, and people found other photos.
The photos were of Kate with kids and teens behind her looking like they’re making a face.
— Kay Ross-Levy (@KayRoss96) May 24, 2023
There was even a dog photo someone dug up with Kate next to a pup who appears to be wishing he was anywhere else.
Even the dog understood the assignment! pic.twitter.com/fKWfWD7XuC
— Simplytixx (@simplytixxy11) May 24, 2023
“Never in my life have I seen a dog lean away,” one person wrote in response.
Of course, there are a million reasons why a photo might have captured a kid’s face that looks less than impressed.
But people who have their own reasons for not supporting the Princess of Wales were having a field day on Twitter digging up these photos.
