Royals Who Were Caught Acting Rude
The following article includes brief references to sexual assault allegations and racist comments.
There's a stereotype that royals — especially British ones — have impeccable manners. We assume they follow not only standard etiquette rules but also the unwritten guidelines of royal protocol. In fact, it's usually headline news when they step the tiniest bit out of line. Remember Meghan Markle's car-door-shut heard 'round the world? Keeping track of royal etiquette expectations must be dizzyingly complicated.
But most humans have etiquette slip-ups, and royals are only human. They not only flout etiquette rules, which seems harmless enough, but they also sometimes act straight-up rude. There are plenty of examples of princes, princesses, dukes, duchesses, and even monarchs ruffling feathers with behavior that ranges from a little rude to downright mean — or even racist.
Even the most seemingly buttoned-up people can offend from time to time, and the world's royal families prove this again and again. From rolling their eyes at religious services to straight-up insulting their fans, here are some cringe-inducing examples of royal rudeness.
A few royals misbehaved during Harry and Meghan's wedding sermon
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding looked perfect. But as time went on, the public learned how many contentious moments allegedly led up to their big day. It was reported that Meghan had allegedly made her sister-in-law-to-be, Kate Middleton, cry during a dress fitting. Meghan told Oprah Winfrey, "The reverse happened." And don't even get the royals (or their press teams) started on "tiara-gate" and the bullying allegations against Meghan.
It's clear that at the very least, there was a major culture clash when Meghan joined the royal family. And if you go back and re-watch the wedding, you might see evidence of it in some royals' facial expressions while a Black, American pastor gave an impassioned, 13-minute-long sermon about the power of love. As Bishop Michael Curry spoke, viewers took notice of Kate Middleton appearing to give some side-eye, as well as Zara Tindall's dropped jaw. Prince Andrew's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, looked to be (barely) stifling giggles — though Tindall, Queen Elizabeth's niece, seemed the most visibly miffed by the speech.
However, the then-pregnant royal later told The Telegraph (via Express), "I was uncomfortable! My bum sort of slid over either side and Lena kicked the hell out of me for an hour." Most people know it's impolite to giggle or smirk during a sermon unless the pastor is trying to be funny, but the royals aren't most people.
Prince Andrew called people 'shiny arses' and may have bullied staff
Nowadays, Prince Andrew is known for palling around with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and dodging the FBI as they investigated the infamous billionaire's sex crimes, according to ABC News. (He's also known for insisting he can't sweat and name-dropping Pizza Express in a highly memed BBC interview about his own sexual assault allegations.)
But there was a time when palace PR pros and the British media managed to present the prince as a lovable playboy. His nickname was "Randy Andy," and in the book "Andrew, the Playboy Prince," royal biographer Andrew Morton asserted that "several girls fainted" at the sight of him — in a good way — after his military stint in the Falklands.
Now that the prince's alleged wrongdoings are public, though, people have been remembering other unsavory moments. He was criticized in 2004 for calling some VIP officials at a royal event "shiny arses," per BBC News. And Nigel Cawthorne alleged in his book "Prince Andrew: Epstein, Maxwell and the Palace" that Andrew was a bully at school, as well as being "boastful" and "big-headed." In 2021, rumors also began swirling that he was at risk of being accused of bullying aides in the wake of an investigation into Meghan Markle's alleged mistreatment of palace staff. "People were shouted at regularly by the Duke of York and there would be crying in the corridors," a source claimed to the Daily Mail.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Why Princess Anne allegedly called a woman 'ridiculous'
When Princess Anne, played by Erin Doherty, became a teenager on "The Crown," the internet anointed her a royal sass queen. Then, the real-life Anne was seen shrugging in the presence of Donald Trump. People assumed she was snubbing the then-president and that the queen was telling her off. But Valentine Low, a journalist at The Times, cleared it up, tweeting, "No, she didn't snub the Trumps." In reality, the queen had turned to see who else needed to greet the couple. That's when Anne shrugged and said, "It's just me," per eyewitness Laura Elston.
Nevertheless, the myth of Anne as a Trump snubber persisted. Vogue asked, "Is Princess Anne Actually the Coolest Royal?" But British publications insisted not only that this characterization of Anne is a Netflix fabrication, but that the real princess is allegedly more sullen than sassy. A 2004 documentary, "The Real Princess Anne," aired on the UK'S Channel 4 and shed light on her real personality. The queen's only daughter "was regarded in her youth as being rather surly and impolite," per an Express report based on information in the documentary, which added, "She has been accused of being rude, sulky, and difficult."
Perhaps the cruelest example of her apparent crankiness is the time a fan presented her with a bouquet of flowers and allegedly got mockery in return. In the documentary, it's reported that 75-year-old Iris Halfpenny gave Anne flowers and said, "I've arranged them all myself" (via Express). Anne reportedly responded, "What a ridiculous thing to do." Ouch.
Princess Margaret had a reputation for rudeness
Like her niece, Princess Anne, the late Princess Margaret also found public affection thanks to "The Crown." Vanessa Kirby played the queen's sister in the show's first seasons, and the portrayal became even more flattering when Hollywood mainstay Helena Bonham Carter took the reins in later seasons. The princess is known in some circles as a royal rebel. Her booze-and-cigarette-soaked morning routine is the stuff of legend. But some say her rebellious nature also resulted in some rudeness.
Royal expert Jennie Bond called her "fantastically grand, fantastically snobbish" and "so rude it was staggering" on the UK's Channel 5 documentary "Princess Margaret: Rebel without a Crown." She reportedly once asked the '60s model Twiggy, "Who are you?" and Twiggy responded (via Bond), "'Oh, my name is Leslie, ma'am, but most people know me as Twiggy.' And [Margaret] turns and [says], 'Oh, how unfortunate.'" Someone who knew the princess claimed, "I have been at the same house parties as her and her arrogance, her petulance, her rudeness and her plain bad manners were awful," per Theo Aronson's "Princess Margaret."
And there weren't just humans in her crosshairs. Margaret's good friend, Lady Anne Glenconner, wrote in her book about the royal, "Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown," that when Margaret saw a woman feeding squirrels in the park, "She marched up and started whacking them with an umbrella."
Many considered Prince Philip not just rude but racist
When Queen Elizabeth's husband, Prince Philip, died in 2021, there was an outpouring of grief along with quite a few articles recounting his many gaffes that some considered rude or even racist. In fact, royal biographer Nigel Cawthorne has written a book about the late prince called "I Know I Am Rude, but It Is Fun: Prince Philip on Himself and Others." Cawthorne asserted that Philip once said of himself, "I know I am rude, but it is fun."
Still, the people on the receiving end of his remarks might not have had the best time. When meeting the president of Nigeria, who was dressed in traditional clothes, Philip reportedly remarked, "You look like you're ready for bed!" according to Cawthorne. Per The Guardian, he once asked a businessman of aboriginal descent in Australia, "Do you still throw spears at each other?" And in 2015, he was caught on camera yelling at a photographer, "Just take the f***ing picture." He also allegedly once told a 13-year-old kid while visiting a school, "You're too fat to be an astronaut" (via the Irish Examiner).
And there are many more gaffes where that came from, only adding to Prince Philip's complicated legacy.
Prince Harry has been accused of rudeness to the press
It's no secret that Prince Harry doesn't love the British tabloid press. "We all know what the British press can be like," he said on "The Late Late Show with James Corden." "It was destroying my mental health. I was like, this is toxic."
But his attitude may have crossed the line from cautious to rude when he was accused of lecturing a reporter on a tour in Malawi, per The Sun. A reporter from Sky News named Rhiannon Mills asked Harry about a conversation he'd just had with children and healthcare workers during an official appearance at a hospital. "What?" he responded. "Ask them." Mills clarified, "Is that why it's important for you to come and talk to them?" and Harry responded, "Rhiannon, don't behave like this."
Clips of the exchange went viral online, leading some Twitter users to call Harry's behavior rude. Mills later explained in the BBC documentary "The Princes and the Press" that Harry's agitation may have been due to his frustration with the media as a whole. "Most people looked at it and thought, well, hang on, it was a polite question," she recalled. "Why did it blow up? But looking back at it now, I had basically kicked the wasps' nest."
Princess Michael of Kent wore a racist brooch while meeting Meghan Markle
Princess Michael of Kent, who's married to the queen's cousin, Prince Michael of Kent, made headlines in December 2017 when she wore a blackamoor brooch to a Christmas lunch where Meghan Markle would be in attendance. Blackamoor is "a trope in Italian decorative art" that "personif[ies] fantasies of racial conquest," per an NYU News arts story by Anneke Rautenbach.
Royal correspondent Charlie Proctor tweeted, "Princess Michael of Kent appears to have officially turned into a parody of herself as she attends The Queen's Christmas Party wearing a blackamoor brooch." From there, some in the Twittersphere began noting how she was already infamously known for her alleged history of racism before the brooch incident. That's probably because she once allegedly told a group of Black people seated near her at a restaurant, "You need to go back to the colonies," according to The Telegraph. (A spokesperson later denied that this happened.) Or maybe it's because she insisted that she can't be racist during an ITV1 interview because she once dyed her hair and pretended to be biracial, per The Guardian. It could also be that she named her pair of black sheep Venus and Serena, her daughter's ex-boyfriend claimed in an article for Vanity Fair.
A spokesperson apologized to TMZ on behalf of Princess Michael of Kent for her offensive choice of accessory, but clearly, the damage to her reputation was done years before the brooch incident.
King Charles called a reporter 'awful' on a hot mic
King Charles has always been careful not to speak ill of the British press. He didn't even bash them after they caught him confessing to his then-mistress, now-wife Camilla Parker Bowles that he fantasized about being her tampon back in 1989.
But there was one instance when the then-heir apparent got caught talking smack about a news reporter. Charles was on a ski trip with his sons in Klosters, Switzerland, in 2005, and the trio said a brief hello to the press, per The Telegraph. BBC correspondent Nicholas Witchell asked Charles if he was looking forward to his wedding to Parker Bowles the following week. Charles responded, "I'm very glad you heard of it anyway," but then apparently forgot he was miked up and whispered to his sons, "Bloody people. I can't bear that man. He's so awful, he really is."
Witchell later said of the incident (via the Daily Mail), "There has never been an apology, and why should there be? He was probably quite right. You know, awful man." He then added, "We're not there to be liked." Charles brushed up against the press yet again in 2021 when his household along with Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace released a statement condemning the BBC documentary "The Princes and the Press." In this case, a press release seemed much more polite than a muttered dig.
The Cambridges appeared to publicly snub the Sussexes
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced they'd be decreasing their official duties in pursuit of a half-in, half-out approach to royal life in early 2020. Speculation of feuds between the couple and Harry's brother and sister-in-law, Prince William and Kate Middleton, abounded. Harry confirmed the beef on his end when he told Oprah Winfrey (via the Independent) that the brothers' relationship was defined by "space at the moment."
No matter what the status of the former Royal Fab Four is or was, there seemed to be frosty feelings on display at the 2020 Commonwealth Day service in Westminster Abbey. Harry and Meghan were only in London for a few days after having decamped to Canada, and the service coincided with the end of their royal duties. Footage of the event showed Meghan and Harry smiling at William and Kate as they take their own seats. But it looks like William and Kate refused to even make eye contact with the couple.
The book "Finding Freedom: Meghan and Harry and the Making of a Modern Royal Family" reported that the snub was done on purpose, per the Mirror. "Although Meghan tried to make eye contact with Kate, the duchess barely acknowledged her," it claimed. But by August 2021, the two women seemed to be in a better place: an insider cited by Us Weekly alleged, "Meghan and Kate are actually getting along really well and have been in touch more often." Harry and William, meanwhile, didn't even publicly reunite for the 2021 Diana Awards.
The queen refused to attend her son's wedding to Camilla
To say King Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles' relationship was controversial would be an understatement. The then-Prince of Wales admitted he'd cheated on his first wife in a 1994 documentary — but of course, anyone who'd heard the notorious "Tampongate" tapes of 1993 already knew that (and much more).
Still, their bond has stood the test of time. The couple met in 1970, had a rocky few decades before their marriage in 2005, and have been together with zero relationship scandals since they tied the knot. Despite this, Charles' late mother, Queen Elizabeth, was allegedly not Parker Bowles' biggest fan. Royal author Katie Nicholl claimed in the UK's Channel 5 documentary "Royals at War," "The queen did everything she possibly could not to have Camilla's name mentioned in her presence. And if the queen was to refer to Camilla, I don't even think it was by name."
Her froideur toward the soon-to-be duchess appeared to stay intact even on Charles and the future queen consort's wedding day when Queen Elizabeth refused to attend their civil marriage ceremony. However, a royal insider told The Telegraph that the queen felt she couldn't sanction the wedding of her heir and his bride, who were both divorced, due to her position as head of the Church of England. This was said to be "a source of great disappointment to Charles," historian Piers Brendon said in the documentary "The Royal Wives of Windsor," per Express.
Two Danish royals blamed their family's rudeness for being exiled to France
The Brits aren't the only European royals with high-profile family drama. The royal family of Denmark is comparatively low-key, but they got their very own "Sussexit" situation brewing in 2019. Similar to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Canadian vacation that turned into a Los Angeles move, Danish Prince Joachim moved to Paris for what was called a military training program, according to The Daily Beast. But they never came back.
Joachim's wife, Princess Marie, told a Danish gossip columnist, "I'm not going to elaborate but it wasn't our choice. I want people to know it wasn't our choice," adding that she "would have loved to stay in Denmark." It was speculated at the time that this was due to the couple feeling slighted by Joachim's older brother, whose treatment of them was portrayed as aloof by the outlet.
The remarks set off an even bigger feud. Plus, the couple decided to celebrate Christmas 2021 in Paris, not in Denmark with the rest of the family. Maybe they should have added Harry and Meghan to their guest list — in November 2021, sources told Page Six that the Sussexes were not going to return to England for the holidays.
Prince Albert allegedly ignored his crying wife
When South African athlete Charlene Wittstock married into the Monegasque royal family, gossip columns lit up with reports that she tried not once, not twice, but three times to leave the country and escape her wedding. French newspapers reported that Wittstock's passport was taken at least twice, according to CBS News. The papers speculated that her alleged distress came from discovering that her fiancé, Prince Albert of Monaco, had previously fathered three children out of wedlock instead of the previously reported two kids.
A palace official called the runaway bride narrative "completely, completely crazy," per People, and the 2011 wedding did proceed as planned. Charlene cried during the ceremony, and she later told Times Weekend Magazine (via the Daily Mail), "Everything was just so overwhelming and there were all the mixed emotions because of the rumors." Later, a source would claim to The Daily Beast that they witnessed Charlene sobbing during lunch at the palace in Monaco. "Albert didn't acknowledge his wife was crying at all," the insider recalled.
In 2021, Charlene spent six months in South Africa, then returned to Monaco, where she underwent treatment at an undisclosed facility outside of the principality. Prince Albert stated (via People), "I'm probably going to say this several times, but this has nothing to do with our relationship. I want to make that very clear. These are not problems within our relationship. ... It's of a different nature." He went on to say Charlene was suffering from physical and emotional exhaustion.
King Juan Carlos of Spain told President Hugo Chavez to 'shut up'
A lot of people have probably wanted to tell presidents to shut up, but few actually take the plunge — unless you're King Juan Carlos of Spain.
In 2006, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez referred to then-President George W. Bush as the "devil," and he took aim at one of the American politician's allies, former Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar, a year later at a political summit in Chile. During a speech, Chávez called Aznar "a fascist," according to The New York Times. Chávez proceeded to stir up more trouble when he kept talking while another leader was speaking. King Juan Carlos then reportedly said to him, "Why don't you shut up?" Some Spaniards thought this was a bit much. Willy Meyer, a member of a Spanish leftist group, told the Times, "Telling an elected head of state to shut up is something you can't do in Spain or abroad."
It seems the people at that summit weren't the only ones who weren't the biggest fans of King Juan Carlos' behavior: He's since been exiled from Spain. In 2020, a fraud scandal partly connected to an extramarital affair led him to get the boot from his country, per Politico, though the charges were eventually dropped. He's since lived in Dubai. It's unclear where he'll go next, but he'd better not try Venezuela.
Prince George had a tantrum at Pippa Middleton's wedding
It's not easy being a toddler, and that's especially true if you're a member of the royal family. Having grown up in the spotlight, Kate Middleton and Prince William's eldest son, Prince George, has been forced to get used to being photographed wherever he goes. When Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton, married James Matthews on May 20, 2017, Prince George served as a page boy. However, the little royal seemingly got overwhelmed during the huge event and was photographed crying outside of the church. In fact, the Princess of Wales was even seen looking pretty stern and seemed to be attempting to stop George's tantrum before it escalated.
According to the Daily Mail, Prince George was scolded by his mom for allegedly stepping on the bride's wedding gown. In George's defense, he was reportedly just copying his sister, Princess Charlotte, who had supposedly already trodden on the dress herself. Kate apparently wasn't happy about her children's alleged bad behavior, which is understandable considering the fact that Pippa's lacy Giles Deacon dress cost a whopping $52,000.
While George may have appeared a bit rude at his aunt's wedding, he seemingly brightened up soon after his tantrum and was seen smiling for the paparazzi. Fingers crossed Pippa wasn't too mad with her royal relations over the wedding dress faux pas.
Savannah Phillips pushed Prince George down a hill
Savannah Phillips may be one of the lesser known members of the royal family, but that doesn't mean she hasn't been causing plenty of mischief in the background. Savannah is Princess Anne's granddaughter, and the child of Peter and Autumn Phillips. As such, she's cousins with Kate Middleton and Prince William's children, and it seems that they are a close-knit family. However, in June 2018, Savannah was caught on camera acting a little rude, and cousin Prince George was the victim. Per the Daily Mail, the royal cousins were attending an event at the Beaufort Polo Club, where they were sitting on a bank with their families. At one point, Savannah was seen pushing George down the bank. The future heir to the British throne apparently lost his balance and was seen falling. This most definitely doesn't seem like royal behavior!
According to the outlet, Savannah was reprimanded by mom Autumn for the polo club incident. It's also worth noting that Savannah's cheekiness has been caught on camera more than once. The same month, Savannah appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony with the royal family to celebrate Trooping the Colour. As the royals sang "God Save the Queen," Savannah decided to shut her cousin up by placing her hand over George's mouth. The hilarious moment was photographed, and Savannah was seen giving a sassy smirk to the camera, while George giggled.
King Charles made rude remarks about a pen
Following Queen Elizabeth II's death in September 2022, King Charles III assumed the throne. Despite waiting his entire life to take on the coveted role, Charles' ascension was far from smooth. On September 13, 2022, Charles and Queen Consort Camilla visited Hillsborough Castle, Northern Ireland, and the new king appeared to be somewhat flustered. While signing the guest book, the pen King Charles was using started leaking. Rather than handling the situation like a professional, Charles was filmed saying (via Cosmopolitan UK), "Oh god, I hate this thing." Luckily, Charles' wife was on hand to help, and she even took the faulty pen from her husband. However, the king wasn't finished, and audibly vented, "I can't bear this bloody thing, what they do. ... Every stinking time."
King Charles' pen debacle wasn't the first time the new monarch had expressed his frustration in public. Just a few days prior, Charles officially became the king of England at an event called the Accession Council, which was held at St. James' Palace. But while signing the Royal Proclamation, the king was seen getting annoyed with the objects on the table round him. Charles was witnessed gesturing to a pen box on the desk, which was apparently in his way, more than once. Aides rushed to help the monarch, but the comical moment suggested that Charles is used to having everything done in a particular way.
Prince Louis' bad behavior at the Jubilee
Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Platinum Jubilee in 2022, which saw a plethora of special events take place in honor of her iconic reign. As the queen's great-grandson, Prince Louis was in attendance at several of these events, and he certainly made a name for himself at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, which took place on June 5, 2022. During the event, Kate Middleton attempted to keep her young son entertained, but there were moments when that simply wasn't possible. As reported by Harper's Bazaar UK, Louis' raucous behavior included putting his hand over his mom's mouth, pulling silly faces, and running along the row to sit on his grandfather King Charles' lap. While none of this is surprising behavior for a four-year-old, Louis is under massive pressure as a member of the royal family.
The little prince's cheeky behavior continued throughout the queen's Jubilee celebrations. During a balcony appearance with the queen herself to watch the Royal Airforce flypast, Prince Louis could be seen holding his hands over his ears and screaming. While he was seen waving at the crowd during the event, he was also spotted looking exceedingly grumpy and covering his face with his hands. Unsurprisingly, royal fans can't wait to see what Louis does next.
Sarah Ferguson's very awkward interview
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York and Prince Andrew's ex-wife, has often found herself in the press for all the wrong reasons. In 2011, she made headlines once again for walking out of an interview with "60 Minutes Australia." The duchess was apparently outraged when she was shown footage of the infamous News of the World sting, in which she was allegedly caught on camera offering access to Prince Andrew for a sum of £500,000 (approximately $620,000). When "60 Minutes Australia" showed her the footage, Ferguson walked off set, and told the interviewer to delete her reaction.
John Scott, the duchess' manager, was extremely unhappy with the way the "60 Minutes Australia" interview was conducted, telling The Telegraph, "We had gone through all the questions and subject matter beforehand. ... She did walk out when she was ambushed ... but after cooling down she said to me, 'F*** them, let's do this', and she did, but it was a banal interview and her demeanor reflected that."
Ferguson's reaction during the interview certainly seemed rude in the moment. However, the fact that she apparently hadn't been prepared to discuss the subject matter somewhat explains her emotional response.
King Charles' constant finger pointing
While King Charles' altercation with a leaky pen was heavily publicized, he's also faced criticism for making certain hand gestures at public events. Back in 2007, North Wales Live reported that Charles had been called out for pointing his finger while making public appearances. The leader of the Campaign for Courtesy pressure group, Reverend Ian Gregory, told the publication, "Constant pointing is never a good thing. ... Pointing to get your opinion across can be excused, but to point at someone directly to identify them is very rude." It would seem that the main reason the group was especially upset over Charles' apparent bad habit had to do with his position of influence. "Prince Charles is an ambassador for Britain and by being so inconsiderate he is setting a bad example," Gregory explained to North Wales Live.
It's unclear if Charles ever learned about the campaign criticizing his finger pointing. However, Gregory was extremely serious about the royal's need to change his seemingly rude behavior, even suggesting that Charles should attend etiquette classes. As Gregory told North Wales Live, "If a man in his position is showing such a public disregard for politeness, then it will surely influence other people to follow suit."
Kate Middleton's alleged rude texts about Meghan Markle's wedding
Prince Harry's 2023 memoir "Spare" made plentiful allegations about the royal family. In one especially revealing segment, Harry elaborated on the alleged dispute between Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle ahead of the latter's royal wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018. Bringing receipts to the table, Harry decided to share the supposed text messages between his wife and his sister-in-law. Per Harper's Bazaar, the Princess of Wales allegedly texted Meghan to say, "Charlotte's dress is too big, too long, too baggy." Meghan reportedly replied to Kate with, "Right, and I told you the tailor has been standing by since 8am. Here. At [Kensington Palace]. Can you take Charlotte to have it altered, as the other mums are doing?"
According to Prince Harry, Kate subsequently told Meghan via text that all of the flower girl dresses needed to be remade, despite the wedding being mere days away. Meghan allegedly responded by sharing her own stress regarding the drama surrounding her father, who ended up missing the royal wedding. Per the Duke of Sussex, the entire text exchange and Kate's alleged rudeness reduced his wife to tears — and added even more stress during an already fraught time.
Princess Eugenie cropped Kate Middleton out of a picture
Social media can cause us all problems from time to time, and the royal family is not exempt. Princess Eugenie made a potentially rude social media faux pas when she seemingly cropped Kate Middleton out of a photo. In an Instagram post shared in June 2022, Eugenie posted several photos from Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, writing in part, "Thank you, Your Majesty, Grannie, for 70 years of service, selflessness and dedication. You are such a shining light for us all." One of the pictures showed the queen on the balcony with King Charles, Prince William, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte. On the far right of the picture, a slither of Kate's dress was visible, but the Princess of Wales had been almost entirely cut from the snap.
Royal fans flooded the post with comments. One Instagram user wrote, "Who crops a picture purposefully to exclude Kate (and Camilla). This is low and more than petty. It's mean girl behavior." However, another royal fan jumped to Eugenie's defense, writing in part, "When you post multiple pictures on one IG post, it forces you to crop some pictures if they are too wide to fit in a square. She wanted her grandmother in the center of the picture so Kate and Camilla were cut."
Whether or not Eugenie was being intentionally rude remains unclear.
The queen allegedly called Camilla 'that wicked woman'
While Queen Elizabeth II seemed to warm to King Charles' second wife, Queen Consort Camilla, their relationship reportedly took quite some time to thaw. For her 2022 book "The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth's Legacy and the Future of the Crown," Katie Nicholl interviewed historian Robert Lacey, who detailed Queen Elizabeth's allegedly real thoughts on Camilla Parker Bowles. "In 1998, when Charles was trying to persuade his mother to be more accommodating of Camilla, the Queen described her as 'that wicked woman,'" Lacey told Nicholl. "Those damning words were reported in distress by Prince Charles himself." If Lacey's words are to be believed, the queen was most definitely not a fan of Camilla, especially in the wake of Princess Diana's tragic death in August 1997.
In the years after the queen allegedly called Camilla "that wicked woman," Charles' new partner began to ingratiate herself with the royal family and the general public. In fact, when Charles and Camilla finally tied the knot on April 9, 2005, the queen had some important words for the couple (even if she did skip the actual ceremony, as previously mentioned). Per The Irish Times, the monarch toasted her son and his new bride after the wedding by reportedly saying, "They have come through and I'm very proud and wish them well. My son is home and dry with the woman he loves." Still, Camilla probably found the queen's original review pretty rude indeed.