Kate Middleton, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis share unexpected honour and it could be about to get even better
They've all been shortlisted - in a matter of speaking - for a rather special award that the public can vote for
The Princess of Wales has plenty of individual honours, from her royal titles to her military roles, but now she's got one that she can share with her children too. She, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis have all made the shortlist for a prestigious competition - or, at least, a photo of them has.
The judges for the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards have selected a snapshot of the family at the celebrations for the 80th anniversary of VE Day to be in the running for a win. The public can now vote for their favourite of the 21 shortlisted pictures.
Getting chosen at this stage is already a big achievement and this royal photo is an action shot, showing George, Louis and Kate all leaning sideways to get a better view of the flypast. Only Charlotte is standing poised and straight, and her younger brother looks particularly in awe.
Like Trooping the Colour flypasts, this one featured not only the RAF's Red Arrows but current and historic military aircrafts. It's no wonder that George and Louis were desperate to get a good glimpse of them, as they're believed to have been playing "guess the aircraft".
Analysing the Waleses at the time, lip reader Nicola Hickling suggested to Hello! that the Princess of Wales asked her elder son, "What is this, George?" and he replied that he couldn't see it yet. Prince Louis then reportedly chimed in, "It's my turn."
Even Prince William, who previously served in the RAF, got involved in the game and apparently told Queen Camilla, "It's the wrong answer". According to Nicola, she jokingly replied, "Are we playing this still? I need to try harder."
Perhaps the short-listed picture captured a moment of them all trying to identify something else, or they could've merely been excited to see a particular craft. Either way, it's a special snap and it sums up the Princes' enthusiasm and Princess Charlotte's calm, self-assured nature.
She's the one who's often been spotted telling her brothers what to do at big public events. At Trooping the Colour 2024 the young Princess seemingly told Louis, "Put your arms by your side". This is the typical pose for the royals during the National Anthem in particular and Charlotte was standing impeccably like this in the VE Day picture.
The Waleses (minus Prince William who sadly didn't appear in this specific snap) aren't the only royals in the running to be a UK Picture Editors Guild Award winner.
A picture of King Charles talking to 101-year-old World War II veteran Ruth Barnwell, taken at the tea party to mark VE Day's 80th anniversary, has also been shortlisted. So has an image of Princess Anne looking straight-faced at two sleeping farmers at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh.
Many of the other pictures focus on more poignant or political events from 2025, including one that depicts the harrowing aftermath of the attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester last October.
The winner of the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards will be announced on 30th June and public voting closes at 12pm on 10th June.
