The Duchess of Cambridge’s children beg her to stop taking photographs of them.
The 39-year-old royal is a keen amateur photographer and is often behind the camera for official pictures which she and husband Prince William have released to mark key moments in their family life, but Catherine admitted Princes George, seven, and Louis, three, and Princess Charlotte, six, can be reluctant models.
Catherine made her confession during a phone call with a woman named Ceri, whose black-and-white portrait of her young daughter Poppy embracing her paramedic father Mark before he left for work made it into the duchess’ ‘Hold Still’ lockdown photography collection, as they talked about taking pictures of their kids.
After Catherine asked Ceri if she was a photographer, she replied: “No. Well, Mark would say otherwise just because I do take a lot of pictures of the family.”
The duchess laughed and said: “It’s like me. Everyone’s like, ‘Mummy, please stop taking photographs.’ “
Ceri added: “I know, but I love it. I love looking back. I think when you have children, time seems to go into warp speed, really, and it’s just a lovely thing for me. You look back and see how much the children have grown.”
Elsewhere on the call, Catherine explained she’d selected Ceri’s photo, which was titled ‘Be Safe Daddy’, as one of the 100 images to feature in her digital exhibition and book about life during the coronavirus pandemic because it showcased “strength, courage and resilience” and the “tenderness and importance” of families.
She added: “It’s such a sensitive and tender moment between a father and a daughter. These simple moments have impacted so many and really resonated with so many across the country so thank you for sharing your photograph and your story.”
The duchess also spoke with Poppy during the call – which was recorded last Autumn but released on Thursday (10.06.21) – and praised the youngster for being “brave” and waving her dad off to work every day, even though she was scared he’d contract coronavirus.
She told Poppy: “I loved seeing your big cuddle to your daddy. Cuddles are very, very important.
“I bet your daddy took that with him and it helped him all the way through his day at work.”
Poppy replied: “Thank you. I was so scared he would get the Corona.”
Catherine said: “It must have been a real worry for you… It must have been so hard for you, Poppy, but I bet you were very brave.”