Sophie, Countess of Wessex has seemingly being snubbed by her own family, after her photo submission for Kate Middleton’s Hold Still project was rejected.
WATCH: Sophie Wessex tells parents ‘not to feel alone’ during pandemic
The 55-year-old took part in the competition to show her support for Kate, sharing a striking image of a food bank worker, but it was later revealed her submission didn’t hit the mark.
Speaking on the latest Royally Obsessed podcast, royal experts Rachel Bowie and Roberta Fiortio said that despite being brutally rejected, there is likely a valid reason for the decision.
“Sophie, Countess of Wessex was the only royal relative that we know of to have submitted a photo to Kate’s project, but her picture didn’t get chosen,” Rachel began.
When co-host Roberta replied by saying “Ouch!” Rachel went on to say that royal photographer Chris Jackson also entered the competition, but was surprisingly overlooked.
But as Roberta continued to explain, while it would have been nice for Kate to acknowledge Sophie or Chris’ work, it may have appeared like nepotism.
“It would have felt a little too insider if Sophie’s did get picked,” she told Rachel, who added: “That is true, it would have been a little bit of nepotism.”
Held in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery, the Duchess’ initiative invited people to send their unique photos capturing their time in lockdown.
The response was overwhelming, with Kate’s team being flooded with entries as the project kicked off, with many snaps being shared across social media – and Kate even commented on some.
Of the many photos submitted, only a select few were chosen to be exhibited in a virtual exhibition held by the iconic British gallery, of which Kate is their patron.
With three core themes: Helpers and Heroes, Your New Normal, and Acts of Kindness, the project delivers a candid narrative of how the pandemic affects people in lockdown.
In a statement, the Queen said: “It was with great pleasure that I had the opportunity to look through a number of the portraits that made the final 100 images for the Hold Still photography project.
“The Duchess of Cambridge and I were inspired to see how the photographs have captured the resilience of the British people at such a challenging time, whether that is through celebrating frontline workers, recognising community spirit or showing the efforts of individuals supporting those in need,” she said.
The photographic exhibition can now be viewed on the National Portrait Gallery’s website.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
