Last year, ahead of Queen Elizabeth’s Jubbly, various Windsors were sent around to Commonwealth nations to “celebrate” Liz’s platinum year on the throne. Prince William and Kate were sent to the Caribbean on what became one of the funniest Flop Tours of all time. Their tour was full of tone-deaf colonialist imagery, chain-link fences, Kate backing away from Black people and the then-Cambridges getting fired live on camera in Jamaica. It was glorious. Then just a few weeks later, the Earl and Countess of Wessex were sent to the Caribbean too, to visit all of the countries Kate and William didn’t get to. The Wessexes made a big deal about how they wouldn’t f–k it up and then, you guessed it, they flopped too.
The thing is, even though the Wessexes’ Caribbean tour flopped just as badly as Will and Kate’s, barely anyone paid attention to it. There were fewer media outlets on the Wessexes’ tour and the photo-ops were more tightly controlled. Still, the dueling Flop Tours were enough to make the Windsors realize that they couldn’t go on their colonialist tours the same way anymore. Crash-cut to this year, where Princess Anne recently went to Australia and New Zealand and she barely got any attention whatsoever. Sophie and Edward said to themselves: that’s the way to do it, we’ll go on tour and not bring any media with us at all. And that’s exactly what they’re doing.
Sophie and Edward flew to the Cayman Islands for a tour this week. They’ve literally been there all week and I can’t find ANY photo agency covering the tour at all. The only people photographing them are the British embassies and the Cayman government. Part of this is about controlling the message, of course. But part of it is that… they’re really making the British taxpayer pick up the tab for their Caribbean vacations (I mean “tours”) and then they’re not opening anything up to the international media??
So is this the new model for how the Windsors do foreign tours now that King Charles is in charge? No-media tours with tightly controlled imagery from the government? That’s just… political propaganda. I mean, it always was.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar, Instagram, Backgrid, Cover Images.
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North America Rights Only – Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia -20220428-
Prince Edward and Sophie Countess of Wessex meet staff and students from a number of St Lucian schools, at Camille Henry Memorial school in St Lucia, as they continue their visit to the Caribbean, to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
-PICTURED: Prince Edward, Sophie Countess Of Wessex
-PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.comDisclaimer:
This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at [email protected] or call 1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 22: Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Forfar and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex during the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace on November 22, 2022 in London, England. This is the first state visit hosted by the UK with King Charles III as monarch, and the first state visit here by a South African leader since 2010.,Image: 739545265, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon [email protected] London 44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles 1 310 822 0419 Berlin 49 30 76 212 251 Madrid 34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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North America Rights Only – Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia -20220428-
Prince Edward and Sophie Countess of Wessex meet staff and students from a number of St Lucian schools, at Camille Henry Memorial school in St Lucia, as they continue their visit to the Caribbean, to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
-PICTURED: Prince Edward, Sophie Countess of Wessex
-PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.comDisclaimer:
This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at [email protected] or call 1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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Manchester, UNITED KINGDOM – Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, the Countess of Wessex visit Manchester ahead of the Queen’s funeral.
The royal couple visit the Council’s book of condolence at Manchester Central Library to add their signatures, before moving on to view the floral tributes left in St Ann’s Square by locals in mourning.
The pair will also visit Manchester Cathedral to light a candle for her late Majesty and view their books of condolence and meet with volunteers involved with managing the tributes.
Pictured: Sophie Countess of Wessex
BACKGRID USA 15 SEPTEMBER 2022
USA: 1 310 798 9111 / [email protected]
UK: 44 208 344 2007 / [email protected]
*UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children
Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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London, UNITED KINGDOM – Celebrities seen on the red carpet for the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Pictured: Sophie Wessex, Sophie Countess of Wessex, Countess of Wessex
BACKGRID USA 1 DECEMBER 2022
BYLINE MUST READ: BDC Images / BACKGRID
USA: 1 310 798 9111 / [email protected]
UK: 44 208 344 2007 / [email protected]
*UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children
Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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North America Rights Only – Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia -20220428-
Prince Edward and Sophie Countess of Wessex meet staff and students from a number of St Lucian schools, at Camille Henry Memorial school in St Lucia, as they continue their visit to the Caribbean, to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
-PICTURED: Prince Edward, Sophie Countess of Wessex
-PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.comDisclaimer:
This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at [email protected] or call 1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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Royals Host State Banquet In Honor Of South African President State Visit To The UK
Featuring: Earl of Wessex and Countess of Wessex
Where: London, England, United Kingdom
When: 22 Nov 2022
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images**North America Rights Only**
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Royals Host State Banquet In Honor Of South African President State Visit To The UK
Featuring: Countess of Wessex
Where: London, England, United Kingdom
When: 22 Nov 2022
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images**North America Rights Only**
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North America Rights Only – Castries, Saint Lucia -20220426-
Prince Edward and Sophie Countess of Wessex meet staff of the British High Commission residence in Castries, Saint Lucia as they continues their visit to the Caribbean, to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
-PICTURED: Prince Edward, Sophie Countess of Wessex
-PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.comDisclaimer:
This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at [email protected] or call 1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded
For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
