The contrast between the Wales family’s approach to the media and California’s couldn’t be clearer (Image: Getty)
There is an art to royal media management, and then there is whatever the Duchess of Sussex is trying to pull off in California.
As Prince George celebrated his 13th birthday on Wednesday (July 22), the contrast between the Wales family’s approach to the media and the Montecito operation couldn’t be starker. Kensington Palace marked the milestone of the prince becoming a teenager by releasing both a portrait and a video on official social media channels. They released a mature yet relaxed portrait of him taken on a palace staircase by photographer Matt Porteous, signalling his upcoming move to Eton. Alongside this, they shared a candid holiday video montage of him playing on a beach in Cornwall with his family.
It’s a masterclass in quiet authority versus infuriating PR posturing – and I think it must be driving Meghan absolutely mad.
I will make one thing clear – protecting your children from the glaring, ruthless spotlight of the media is a noble goal. Every parent wants their kids to have a safe, normal childhood, and no one can blame Harry and Meghan for wanting to shield Archie and Lilibet from the public eye. The issue isn’t why they want to protect their kids – it’s the way they go about it.
Meghan does share birthday photos. She drops holiday snaps and glossy behind-the-scenes documentary clips. But every image is engineered to tease the public while keeping her children shrouded in mystery. We get the back of a toddler’s head in a field, Prince Harry‘s hand covering his son’s face, and both kids hiding behind relatives at Disney, but still all plastered across Instagram.
In her latest “Summer Holiday” post, one shot shows Lilibet, Archie and Harry strolling through a lush garden that looks suspiciously like Althorp House – the Spencer family estate where Princess Diana is buried. Five-year-old Lilibet is seen walking along carrying a mini handbag, while off in the distance, Harry and Archie appear to be holding something that looks suspiciously like flowers.
It’s an approach that claims to protect their privacy, yet it accomplishes the exact opposite. Constantly putting the kids in front of global cameras without actually showing them only fuels the media frenzy and infuriates loyal royal followers who just want to celebrate the youngsters’ milestones, including their birthdays.
It feels like a Hollywood marketing plot – a perpetual “stay tuned for more” trailer where the main feature never airs.
Kensington Palace released a mature yet relaxed portrait Prince George by photographer Matt Porteous to celebrate his 13th birthday (Image: Kensington Palace/ Matt Porteous)
Enter Catherine, Princess of Wales. She understands a fundamental truth about royal life that seems to escape Montecito entirely – you don’t need to hide your children’s faces for them to live a relatively normal life.
By releasing a clear, gorgeous birthday portrait, either from her own camera or a trusted professional, Catherine strikes a brilliant bargain. Giving the press a high-quality official photo starves the paparazzi market, undermining the value of invasive, long-lens shots while letting the public watch and enjoy the future King grow up in real time.
Most importantly, it protects George’s childhood. Once that single photo drops, the media appetite is fed, allowing him to get right back to school and sports without a lens trained on his face. It’s protection through smart transparency, shielding his life without having to hide his face. It will be interesting to see how Kensington Palace tackles the reality of social media when George starts Eton in September. In an environment where every classmate carries a smartphone capable of publishing snaps in an instant, navigating his privacy will demand a whole new level of strategy.
Kate’s approach isn’t about exploiting her children – it’s about protecting them through smart, pragmatic transparency. She doesn’t play games with the camera or act like her kids are top-secret assets. She gives the world a happy, honest look at her son, and then quietly closes the front door. The Princess of Wales just demonstrated once again with her eldest son that quiet dignity will beat Hollywood games every single time.