Charity outing follows backlash toward William and Catherine’s birthday
photo
In a timely and compassionate move, Queen Camilla made a special visit to
Battersea—one of the UK’s leading animal rescue charities—shortly after Prince
William and Princess Catherine faced public criticism over a recent photo
shared for the Prince of Wales’ birthday.
Buckingham Palace released a video of the Queen’s visit, showing her warmly
received by the centre’s four-legged residents. “A wonderfully waggy-tailed
welcome to @Battersea!” the post read, celebrating Camilla’s role as Patron of
the charity.
During her visit, the Queen officially opened the new RHS and BBC Radio 2 ‘Dog
Garden,’ designed by horticulturist Monty Don. The tranquil space was created
as a sanctuary for rescue dogs, giving them a peaceful retreat away from the
often stressful kennel environment.
This royal engagement came just days after the Wales family was criticized for
their decision to share a birthday photo of William cuddling with their family
dog Orla and her puppies—sparking backlash from animal welfare advocates.
Critics, including activist Elisa Allen, accused the couple of being “out of
touch” for promoting dog breeding during a time when shelters are overwhelmed
with homeless animals.
Allen urged the Prince and Princess of Wales to consider adopting instead,
citing King Charles and Queen Camilla’s example of choosing rescue pets over
breeders. “If William is going to lead, he might well take a lesson from King
Charles and Queen Camilla,” she remarked.
Although Buckingham Palace has not addressed the criticism directly, Queen
Camilla’s Battersea visit has been widely seen as a gentle yet impactful
reminder of the monarchy’s ongoing commitment to animal welfare—and a possible
effort to refocus the narrative around responsible pet ownership.
