British magazine Tatler unveiled the cover of its July 2024 issue on Instagram this Wednesday, featuring a portrait of Her Royal Highness Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, created by British-Zambian artist Hannah Uzor. This portrait marks the third royal commission by Tatler for its cover in the past three years.
The magazine’s first royal commission was in 2022, celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee with a portrait by Nigerian artist Oluwole Omofemi. The second, in 2023, showcased Trinidadian artist Sarah Knight’s depiction of the newly crowned King Charles III. These initiatives inspired the creation of the Akoje Residency earlier this year. Founded by rugby star Maro Itoje and his business partner Khalil Akar in collaboration with the King’s Foundation, the residency aims to support African, Caribbean, and diasporic artists, offering them time at Dumfries House in Scotland to develop their artistic skills.
However, the online reaction to Uzor's portrait of Middleton has been mixed, echoing the less-than-positive reception of King Charles III's first official portrait.
The portrait shows Middleton against a blue background, wearing the floor-length Jenny Packham cape dress she donned for a State Banquet in honor of the South African President at Buckingham Palace in November 2023.
In her interview with Tatler, Uzor expressed her admiration for Middleton, saying, “She has really risen up to her role – she was born for this. She carries herself with such dignity, elegance, and grace.” Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the majority of Instagram commenters, whose remarks have been less than gracious.
Jean Dubreil