They are among the most dignified royals people in public, maintaining their composure and professionalism in front of the cameras at all times.
But, every now and then, members of the royal family can’t help but show they’re only human, and they’re even seen losing their cool – whether it’s because their children or grandchildren have pushed them too far, or when the press pack tests their patience, as in the case of Prince Philip!
We’re taking a look back at some of the royal family’s more tense moments to see how they handled themselves while dozens of flashbulbs flashed.
During her birthday celebrations, Trooping the Colour, in 2016, Prince William received a stern lecture from his grandmother, the Queen. As the royal family arrived on the Buckingham Palace balcony, William bent down to speak with Prince George, but Her Majesty was not impressed. She appeared to tell her grandson to stand up, clearly aware that thousands of eyes were on them. And William didn’t waste any time in carrying out granny’s instructions!
While Kate was on doting mummy duty at her sister Pippa Middleton’s wedding in 2017, she had a row with her son Prince George.
Before Kate, who was also busy with Princess Charlotte, gave him a quick talking to, the cheeky youngster was spotted playing behind his aunt’s wedding dress and shaking out his flower basket. After being scolded, George shed a few tears but quickly recovered! Hey, kids!
As the Cambridges prepared to board a helicopter in Hamburg, it all became a little too much for Princess Charlotte. Kate was seen giving her two-year-old daughter a gentle scold as she burst into tears.
Autumn Phillips scolded Savannah Phillips during the royals’ polo outing in June 2018. The seven-year-old girl pushed her cousin Prince George down a hill in jest, leaving him stunned and tearful.
The Duke of Cambridge has previously spoken out about another incident when Her Majesty scolded him as a child.
William explained during the documentary The Queen at 90: “[Peter Phillips and I] were chasing a go-cart-riding Zara around, and we managed to herd her into a lamppost, which came crashing down and nearly crushed her.
And I recall my grandmother running across the lawn in her kilt as the first person to arrive at Balmoral. She stormed over and gave us the most vehement reprimand, and it stuck with me for the rest of my life.”
During a 2015 photocall, Prince Philip lost his cool and yelled at a group of cameramen, “Just take the [expletive] picture!” “Just take it,” the Queen’s late husband said repeatedly, causing his family, including Prince William, to stifle their laughter.
The royals were at the RAF Club for a photocall commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain’s start.
As the Duke and his wife were being driven around in the open-top Queenmobile, Prince Philip made a no-nonsense gesture to a driver, telling him to hurry up.
Philip grew tired of the slow-moving car, while his wife, who was celebrating her 90th birthday, relished the opportunity to wave to the crowds.
After the Nato reception at Buckingham Palace in December 2019, a video of the Queen and Princess Anne went viral on social media. The monarch appeared to be chastising her daughter in front of US President Donald Trump in the video, but Anne was actually standing back because she was not invited to the welcome party.
When the Queen asked who was next in line to be greeted, Anne laughed and raised her hands in the air, saying, “It’s just me, and this lot,” pointing to the members of the household behind her. After some mistook Anne’s gesture for her refusal to greet President Trump, Twitter erupted.
Prince Harry couldn’t help but express his feelings about the use of plastic when he attended the Sentebale Polo Cup in Italy in May 2019, just weeks after welcoming baby Archie.
Nacho Figueras, a friend and professional polo player, told CBS This Morning: “We were staying at a hotel the night before the game. ‘This morning I got my coffee and I noticed that you have a plastic thing on the coffee,’ he said to someone. After that, I sent my shirt, which arrived in a large plastic bag. ‘Could we please refrain from using plastic?'”
Nacho continued: “Okay, so that’s who he is. That’s who he is, and I don’t like to talk about it. That is exactly who they are. There will be no plastic.” “They’re trying to make the world a better place every day,” Gayle King, a TV host, responded.
In a previous interview and on Instagram, Nacho defended Harry, saying that the world didn’t know who he really was. He wrote, “The world thinks they know everything there is to know about this man.” “I’ve had the good fortune to spend enough time with him over the years to learn and understand the man he is, a kind, generous, compassionate person who is always thinking of ways to improve the world… That is something I see him do on a regular basis, and it is truly inspiring. I am honored to be your friend, and let us continue to fight because love always triumphs when we all fight together.”
During the couple’s February 2019 tour of Morocco, Prince Harry lost his cool. As a cameraman accidentally knocked a child with his equipment, the royal was seen telling him to back off.
The Prince of Wales cheered up the little girl by giving her the chef’s hat as they sampled traditional local cuisine, which included a pigeon pie dish.
Prince Harry issued a statement in May 2019 as part of his lawsuit against a photo agency. In January, a helicopter photographed Harry and Meghan’s £2.5 million country home in the Cotswolds, and the photos were later published in a newspaper, prompting the royals to flee for their “safety and security.” The couple’s “living room, dining room, and bedroom” were all on display.
In open court, Harry read a statement in which he accepted the agency’s apology and substantial damages. Gerrard Tyrrell, Harry’s lawyer, said: “The Duke chose the property for himself and his wife because of the high level of privacy it provided due to its location in a secluded area surrounded by private farmland and away from any areas where photographers have access.
“The helicopter flew low over the house, allowing Splash to photograph and enter the living room and dining room, as well as directly into the bedroom…
“The syndication and publication of the photographs seriously jeopardized the Duke’s and the home’s safety and security to the point where they are no longer able to live there.”
It’s not just the British royal family who get irritated! As the family celebrated Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden’s 40th birthday, Princess Madeleine of Sweden had a difficult time looking after her older children Princess Leonore and Prince Nicolas.
Mum-of-three As the cameras clicked away, Madeleine had to pick her children up from the floor and gently reprimand them.
