King Charles honors the late Queen on his first Mother’s Day without her, but not everyone is happy with his message

The Royal Family’s official Instagram account has come under fire after a Mother’s Day post neglected to include the Queen’s other children

King Charles honored the Queen on the first Mother's Day without her
(Image credit: Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage)

The official social media channels for King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla shared a poignant tribute to both of their late mothers, as the United Kingdom celebrates Mother’s Day this Sunday (March 19). However, despite the touching message being shared to honor the mothers and mother figures no longer with us, many comments were angered by the oversight of the late Queen Elizabeth’s other children, and the lack of a mention of the late Princess Diana.


It’s the first Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom without the late Queen Elizabeth for King Charles and his siblings, Princess Anne and Princes Edward and Andrew.

While Kate Middleton’s Mother’s Day post was a cute and carefree celebration, His Majesty’s social media message sent a message of support to those who have perhaps lost their mothers.

The moving message, which included a photo of Charles as a baby with Queen Elizabeth and a separate photo of the Queen Consort with her late mother, included a caption which read, “To all mothers everywhere, and to those who may be missing their mums today, we are thinking of you and wishing you a special #MothersDay.”

Some fans were touched to see a photo of the Queen Consort’s late mother, who passed in 1994.

Camilla’s mother was Rosalind Maud Shand, a notable charity worker and aristocrat.

Camilla has only spoken of her mom on a few occasions, most movingly about the illness from which she died of aged just 71.

In a 2021 interview with Gloria Hunniford for the BBC to mark World Osteoporosis Day, Queen Consort Camilla recalled the most poignant memory of her mother's battle.

"I remember when a friend of hers came in one day just to give her a hug, her rib broke," she explained. "It was as bad as that… We just watched her shrinking before our eyes.”

Queen Consort Camilla's mother and father, Bruce and Rosalind Shand

(Image credit: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

However, many fans were less sympathetic to the post.

To start with, many thought that the account should have acknowledged Charles’ siblings, who are also facing their first Mother’s Day without their mom, the late Queen.

One social media user wrote, “Did Queen Elizabeth only have one child??? This post is disrespectful in a multiple levels.”

But most of the backlash came from the lack of any mention of the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

Diana was, after all, the mother of Charles’ only two sons, Princes William and Harry.

Fans felt the Royal Family should've included Diana in the Mother's Day 2023 message

(Image credit: Anwar Hussein/Getty Images)

Comments included, “Did you forget about the mother of your sons?” and “No picture of Harry and William with their mum?”

Elsewhere, other royals' Mother's Day posts were met with less split reactions. 

Sarah Ferguson shared a snap of her daughters, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, with the message, "I’m so proud of my girls and the beautiful women and mothers they have grown up to be. I feel extremely blessed to call them mine. My darlings, you are my sunshine always & forever."

Fans praised the "lovely photo" and told the Duchess of York, "You have been an inspirational mother."

Jack Slater
Freelance writer

Jack Slater is not the Last Action Hero, but that's what comes up first when you Google him. Preferring a much more sedentary life, Jack gets his thrills by covering news, entertainment, celebrity, film and culture for woman&home, and other digital publications.


Having written for various print and online publications—ranging from national syndicates to niche magazines—Jack has written about nearly everything there is to write about, covering LGBTQ+ news, celebrity features, TV and film scoops, reviewing the latest theatre shows lighting up London’s West End and the most pressing of SEO based stories.