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.
