In a digital age where social media platforms often amplify criticism, the Royal Family finds itself at the center of yet another storm. This time, it is Catherine, the Princess of Wales, who has come under fire for taking a family holiday—a decision that some social media users have harshly criticized.

The Swinish Multitude on Social Media

The term “swinish multitude,” coined by philosopher Edmund Burke, perfectly captures the often vicious nature of social media discourse. Platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook have proven to be a breeding ground for negativity, especially when it comes to public figures like the Royal Family. The Princess of Wales is the latest target of this digital vitriol, facing criticism for her decision to take a vacation with her family.

On Tuesday, Kate Middleton became the subject of harsh social media backlash over her holiday plans. The Daily Mail and The Telegraph reported that the Princess, alongside Prince William and their three children, would be spending time in Scotland—a seemingly innocuous family getaway. However, the reaction online was anything but benign.

Comments ranged from questioning her work ethic to mocking her ongoing battle with cancer. One user wrote, “Spring break, dumber break, holiday break face lift break. Damn that b***h lazy.” Another chimed in, “How courageous to continue vacationing and attending marquee sporting events as the country is in flames.” These comments represent only a fraction of the vitriol directed at the Princess.

A Recurring Pattern of Criticism

This wave of criticism mirrors a similar situation earlier this year when the Princess of Wales faced online scrutiny regarding her health and personal life. In February and March, social media was awash with speculation about her whereabouts and wellbeing. Despite revealing her cancer diagnosis, rumors continued to circulate, suggesting that her absence was due to a facelift rather than health concerns.

Such unfounded speculation reached a peak in June when Kate attended Trooping the Colour, marking her first official engagement of the year. Social media was flooded with offensive claims that her cancer diagnosis was merely a facade to cover up cosmetic procedures.

The Meghan Markle Factor

The scrutiny faced by Kate Middleton isn’t an isolated incident within the Royal Family. When Prince Harry began dating Meghan Markle in 2016, their relationship was met with a torrent of online abuse, characterized by what Harry described as “outright sexism and racism.” This digital harassment continued even after Meghan became the Duchess of Sussex, forcing the Palace to seek guidance from social media companies regarding online abuse.

Despite efforts to address the issue, social media remains a hostile environment for the royals, with Meghan Markle often bearing the brunt of the negativity. Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams points out that the Palace’s approach to dealing with this digital deluge has been largely ineffective, highlighting a broader issue of managing online perceptions.

The Challenge of Navigating Social Media

As the Royal Family continues to grapple with the challenges posed by social media, it’s evident that the current strategy of ignoring the noise and waiting for the storm to pass is not sustainable. This approach does little to address the root of the problem, leaving members of the family vulnerable to relentless online scrutiny.

The criticism faced by Kate Middleton underscores a larger societal issue—one where public figures are subjected to intense and often unwarranted scrutiny. The Princess of Wales’s holiday plans, a simple family affair, have been transformed into a lightning rod for criticism, reflecting the pervasive negativity that exists within online spaces.

The Future of the Royal Family in the Digital Age

Looking ahead, the challenge for the Royal Family lies in navigating this new digital landscape. With Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince Archie, and Princess Lilibet growing up in an era dominated by social media, the potential for online scrutiny looms large. As these young royals enter adolescence, the risk of their every move being documented and dissected online is a real concern.

The House of Windsor has already experienced the consequences of living in the digital age. In 2012, Prince Harry was embroiled in a scandal after a partygoer allegedly took a compromising photo of him. In today’s world, where mobile devices are ubiquitous, such incidents could be broadcast across multiple platforms before the individuals involved even realize what’s happening.

As the next generation of royals comes of age, the Waleses and Sussexes must find ways to protect their children’s privacy while maintaining their public roles. The digital world offers both opportunities and challenges, and the Royal Family must adapt to ensure the wellbeing of its members.

A Soggy Ending?

As the Princess of Wales continues to face criticism for her holiday plans, the weather forecast for Aberdeenshire, where Balmoral is located, predicts rain later this week. Perhaps the impending downpour will offer a brief respite from the relentless online scrutiny—if only for a moment.

Meghan Markle took Prince Archie on ‘secret holiday’ instead of annual Balmoral trip
In 2019, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry did not join the Royal Family at the Scottish Highlands estate and instead reportedly flew to Ibiza.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with newborn Archie

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with a newborn Archie (Image: Getty)
The customary tradition for the Royal Family to reside at Balmoral for the summer was shunned by Meghan Markle when she’d just given birth to Prince Archie. The Scottish Highlands estate was a firm favourite of the late Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles appears keen to continue the traditions associated with the summer getaway.

However, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry reportedly skipped the Balmoral break one year shortly after Prince Archie was born. Royal author, Tom Bower claimed in his explosive book about Meghan and Harry, called Revenge, that Meghan felt Archie was “too young at three months to travel by plane to Scotland”.

But he was not entirely shunned from a summer holiday, as in August 2019, when Archie was just a few months old, reports claimed the royal duo flew with Archie to the Balearic island of Ibiza on a private plane with their security team, as reported in the Mirror and Spanish publications.

It later emerged they also travelled to Nice shortly after the trip, where they stayed at Elton John’s private villa. Sir Elton is known to have an extensive list of A-list pals, which previously included the late Princess Diana, who died in 1997, and was described by the musician as one of his “dearest friends”.

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Prince Harry speaking with Elton John

Meghan and Harry had a holiday at Elton John’s home in Nice, France (Image: Getty)
In Ibiza, they are believed to have stayed at the Vista Alegre, a residence facing the sea whose apartments are usually rented by A-listers such as DJ David Guetta and Sir Paul McCartney, according to The Sun.

Some of the most expensive villas at Vista Alegre come at approximately £20,000 a week, but the price of others available on enquiring can skyrocket to as much as £120,000 a week.

Locals who claimed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stayed at Vista Alegre said they noticed security measures dialling up ahead of their arrival.

One told The Sun: “The area has been built to a high specification and is a billionaires’ playground so the security staff know what they are doing.”

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Balmoral Castle has taken on a new poignancy since the late Queen died there in September 2022 at the age of 96.

However, the King broke with tradition last year by not spending the summer at Balmoral Castle. Instead, Charles and Queen Camilla chose Birkhall as their main base, leaving Balmoral without a monarch physically in residence for the first time since the 19th century.

As reported in OK! Magazine, former BBC correspondent, Jennie Bond said the King might be looking forward to a peaceful summer this year after a “difficult few months”, following King Charles and Princess Kate’s cancer diagnoses.

She explained: “It’s been one heck of a year for the Royal Family so far and nothing would please the King more than to have his close family gathered together in the peace of Balmoral for a time to take stock together, mark the passing of an incredibly difficult few months and look to the future.”

She added: “Like Catherine herself has said, cancer treatment brings with it a large measure of uncertainty and that must extend to whether she is able to spend part of the summer holidays at Balmoral.”