Kate Middleton's 'If Looks Could Kill' Moment At 2026 Trooping The Colour Was Pure Mama Bear
"If looks could kill," was how one viewer described Kate Middleton's reaction after being met with loud jeers instead of cheering during Trooping the Colour in London on June 13, 2026. In footage from the annual ceremony, the Princess of Wales seemed decidedly less than pleased with the chanting from protesters during the royal procession, per Reuters. One clip showed her shooting daggers at the group as she rode by them in a horse-drawn carriage alongside Kate and Prince William's children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. But some fans felt she looked more upset than irate, while the royal children appeared visibly uncomfortable as they rode past the demonstration in shocked silence. Despite the unwelcome reception, Kate managed to keep her composure and continued waving to the crowd with a strained smile on her face.
Kate Middleton looking angry and the kids looking completely uncomfortable and confused, getting booed during trooping the colour. If looks could kill. Princess Kate didn't like that. pic.twitter.com/5Vz1ymbhf6
— Nina (@ShakeLS) June 13, 2026
Eldest son George, who at 12 years old already towers over his two siblings, followed his mom and also offered a polite wave. On social media, many users sympathized with the family and thought the crowd reaction was harsh. One X user wrote, "Grown adults booed children. They should be ashamed of themselves." Others suggested that Catherine was thinking of her children when she let her feelings show on her face. "Her calm but stern reaction was the look of a mother seeing her children placed in an unfair and confusing moment," wrote one Instagram user. "Kate's face said it all she couldn't believe they would sink so low in front of innocent children," another agreed.
The royal family was all smiles by the time they made it to the Buckingham Palace balcony
In recent years, the British royal family has faced lot of heat from the public. Aside from Catherine and her kids, King Charles III and Queen Camilla were also met with boos and chants while riding their carriage back to Buckingham Palace for the ceremonial flypast. The crowd was lined with spectators and angry protesters alike, who were holding up signs. "Love this for them," one unsympathetic user wrote on Reddit, while another observed how this year's crowd was looking a bit sparse. Others suggested that the best way to shield the kids from being confronted with so much negativity would be to exclude them from certain public-facing activities. "I really don't understand why they as parents are NOT protecting their children ... those children look shaken, have no idea why or what their family members did to cause this," one X user observed.
But the show must, and indeed did, go on. Back at Buckingham Palace, the king, queen, and several other senior members of the royal family gathered on the balcony to watch as the Royal Air Force soared overhead, capping off this year's celebrations. Kate Middleton, who last year ruined her Trooping the Colour outfit with just one glaring mistake, channeled Princess Diana in her baby blue Catherine Walker dress with matching headwear from the legendary Phillip Treacy. The princess seemed to be in good spirits as she reunited with husband Prince William, surrounded by their children. By then, the kids were smiling, and they gamely waved at the cheering crowd gathered below. Still, it was a long day.