The photos of the Prince and Princess of Wales have gone viral again.
An adorable photo of their two youngest children, Charlotte and Louis, shared on Wales’ social media accounts, showing the kids watching England play in the European Championship final, has caused quite the embarrassment.
This time, the blame doesn’t lie with Photoshop, but with Kate and William’s not-so-great TV.
The adorable image of the little prince and princess watching TV at home and wearing personalized England football shirts has inadvertently sparked a sort of transatlantic culture war and angered square-eyed Americans.
“Surely Kate can afford a bigger screen!” read one incredulous tweet from the United States.
The photos of the Prince and Princess of Wales have gone viral again.
An adorable photo of their two youngest children, Charlotte and Louis, shared on Wales’ social media accounts, showing the kids watching England play in the European Championship final, has caused quite the embarrassment.
“That can hardly be four feet,” snapped another, shocked that the third and fourth in line to the throne had to sit so close to the screen to watch England lose again.
I imagine the American public, in the land of super-sized appliances, might be shocked.
Determined to recreate the IMAX experience for their daily dose of ‘Yellowstone’ and ‘The View,’ more is always more in the United States — but here, big is definitely not better, at least not for the more refined, critical viewer.
Of course, the British royal family can be flashy, grand and blingy when the occasion calls for it – from wearing diamond-encrusted crowns to riding in million-dollar golden carriages – but to extend such ostentation to their viewing habits would be unthinkable.
Simply put, like many quirky nuances of British culture and etiquette, it’s a class issue.
You know, there’s nothing quite like a nasty, nouveau-riche faux pas in your home — especially when you’ve got multiple ones hanging on the walls of every room in the house, ready for you to mindlessly flip through the channels, whether you’re in bed, on the couch, or even in the kitchen.
I must admit, unfortunately, that US influence is rapidly seeping our way.
Alongside home bars and hideous hot tubs in the garden, XXXL TVs have increasingly become the standard fare for people with something to prove.
They are determined to be ‘bigger than yours’ and regard a giant TV as a sign of success and an essential modern gadget to show off to their equally stupid peers.
But what it really shows is substandard priorities and a lack of books and conversations.
Compare it to the ‘old’ English houses, where the bigger the house, the smaller the TV becomes, especially in those draughty stately homes.
The Prince and Princess of Wales issued an extraordinary mea culpa in March after she admitted to “editing” an image (above) of her celebrating Mother’s Day with her children.
You’ll no doubt find an extensive library and even a few Turners and Constables on the wall, but the TV is so basic that you may have to manually adjust the aerial to get a clear picture. And you can forget about streaming and multiple channels altogether.
This will of course be the only set available in the property: inconspicuously in a corner, away from the dining room and as far away from the bedrooms as possible.
Wealthy homeowners don’t want to watch a life-size newsreader in their living room. They prefer functionality and encourage their children to explore life beyond the screen.
Perhaps it’s time for more people who like big and bold to follow Kate and William’s lead and opt for a more pared-down viewing experience. It’s certainly more stylish.