Hannah Uzor has never met the Princess of Wales.
But after studying 189,000 images of the future queen she dismissed her critics today because she believes the controversial Tatler portrait is less about how the future queen looks and more about her soul.
Mrs Uzor, a mother of three who paints from her home in St Albans – often after a day caring for her young family – says she wanted to capture the Princess of Wales’ ‘dignity, elegance and grace’ – and her bravery in the face of cancer.
But the Daily Telegraph’s chief art critic Alastair Sooke called the portrait ‘egregiously, intolerably, jaw-hits-the-floor bad’. Others said it was a GSCE standard painting because it bears little resemblance to Kate.
Speaking at her Hertfordshire home this afternoon, the British-Zambian artist said she was not aware of the debate her royal portrait had stoked up. But she added: ‘It is a fantastic story – and they [critics] can do what they want.’
Hannah had just three weeks to complete the commission for the magazine’s July issue but told Tatler she was unfazed because ‘once I start painting, it will only take me two or three days.’
She says proudly that the aim of her work is to ‘challenge assumptions’. But her painting of Kate is not her first royal portrait because in 2020 she was praised for her depiction of Sarah Forbes Bonetta – the former slave African princess who became Queen Victoria‘s goddaughter.
Tatler has unveiled a new portrait of the Princess of Wales on its latest cover (pictured) – but its creator Hannah Uzor has brushed off criticism of it today
Artist Hannah Uzor has said her work ‘challenges assumptions’, especially about black women. The artist expressed her admiration for the princess (right), who has stepped away from the public spotlight while she undergoes chemotherapy.
British-Zambian artist Hannah Uzor (pictured) said she was honouring the strength and dignity of Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales for the cover of Tatler’s July issue
Hannah was interviewed on US TV in 2021 (pictured) about her art and Netflix’s Bridgerton, which she praised because it showed the British regency era as a place where black people were front and centre of life
Hannah says she was particularly inspired by Kate’s Windsor video where she revealed her cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy.
And Ms Uzor, who is married to a software engineer, also says despite never meeting her, there is a connection between them because both women love motherhood.
But while she has praised Kate for having ‘really risen to her role’ as a senior royal – some have been less than kind about Mrs Uzor’s efforts.
St Albans-based painter Hannah was born in Lusaka, Zambia in 1982 – but moved to Britain as a baby.
For many years she followed the advice of her father to ‘do something sensible’, working in business development and digital marketing.
Uzor met her husband, Peter, through her church. He works in IT.
It was only when her mother died in 2016 that she decided to pursue her passion for art – and enrolled at Kensington and Chelsea College.
She hasn’t looked back, but admits her time in an office job taught her ‘to respect deadlines’.
Many of her paintings, completed at home in the evenings when she is not looking after her young family, are done in two to three days. Her portrait of Kate took around three weeks, however.
Hannah’s art has often aimed at shining a light on racism in Britain. She has also supported the Black Lives Matter movement and even spoke against out against all white casts in period dramas such as Downton Abbey, praising the more diverse Bridgerton.
Hannah first made headlines after her painting of Queen Victoria ‘s African goddaughter Sarah Forbes Bonetta was unveiled for Black History Month in the UK and is now part of their public collection at the monarch’s home on the Isle of Wight, Osborne House.
After its release, and the critical acclaim that followed, she was interviewed on US TV about the painting and Netflix’s Bridgerton, which she praised because it showed the British regency era as a place where black people were front and centre of life.
The report for CBS quoted Downton Abbey’s creator Julian Fellowes saying his period drama had very few people of colour in it because ‘you can’t make something untruthful’.
But Hannah called this a ‘falsehood’ and that this depiction ignores that people of colour were part of the fabric of society in Britain for centuries.
The acquisition of her portrait portrait of Sarah Forbes Bonetta led to the commissioning of five other portraits of historical figures of the African diaspora by English Heritage.
Featuring a statement cape, the dazzling gown was paired with Queen Mary ‘s Lover’s Knot Tiara and her late mother-in-law Princess Diana ‘s diamond and pearl drop earrings, all of which are captured in detail in Uzor’s painting (pictured)
Hannah Uzor with her painting of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter, at Osborne, the Queen’s seaside home on the Isle of Wight
The monarch paid for Sarah Forbes Bonetta’s education and was also godmother to her daughter. Hannah’s portrait was created in 2020
Hannah created her portrait from photographs of Sarah, who was beloved by Queen Victoria
Hannah has also created a series of collages for a series called: Long Live The Queen. But this was not a tribute the the late monarch, it was a record of race-related deaths in the UK since 1953.
The Hertfordshire-based artist also displayed her work in the UK’s Black Lives Matter virtual gallery during the pandemic in 2021.
This month she has her first solo exhibition in a gallery in London.
And this is now more likely to see more visitors after her portrait of the Princess of Wales was revealed to the world yesterday on the cover of Tatler.
The painting is set against a green-blue background – a nod to Kate’s eye colour and the experience of being in a garden and on water, reflecting the princess’s love of rowing, Mrs Uzor has said.
Asked whether the princess’s recent cancer diagnosis video gave her a new perspective, Uzor said: ‘Without a doubt. All my portraits are made up of layers of a personality, constructed from everything I can find about them.’
Kate’s public address showed ‘a moment of dealing with something difficult, speaking from the heart, having the courage to tackle it head-on’, she added.
The princess did not sit for the portrait and Uzor researched photos of her to inform her work, saying she had found more than 189,000 images of Kate in a picture archive.
The artist expressed her admiration for the princess, who has stepped away from the public spotlight while she undergoes chemotherapy.
‘She has really risen up to her role – she was born for this. She carries herself with such dignity, elegance and grace,’ Uzor said.
The painter, based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, is, like Kate, a mother of three, and added: ”I sense with her the joy of motherhood.’
Uzor is the third artist to receive a commission from Tatler to paint a portrait of a member of the royal family.
She follows Sarah Knights, whose painting of the King appeared on the magazine’s July 2023 cover, and Oluwole Omofemi, whose tribute to Queen Elizabeth II graced the Platinum Jubilee issue in 2022.
Tatler’s latest commission is its third portraiture special and Uzor, who is a mother of three and based in St Albans, is the third artist sourced by The Akoje Gallery to receive a commission from the magazine. She follows Sarah Knights, whose portrait of King Charles III appeared on Tatler’s July 2023 cover
Oluwole Omofemi’s tribute to Queen Elizabeth II graced the magazine’s commemorative Platinum Jubilee cover in 2022
Artist Jonathan Yeo poses next to his painting of the King at Buckingham Palace on May 14
The projects were inspired by England rugby star Maro Itoje and his business partner Khalil Akar, who created the Akoje Residency Programme in collaboration with the King’s Foundation, the charity set up by Charles.
The initiative offers opportunities for artists with African and Caribbean backgrounds to spend time at Dumfries House in Scotland to focus on their artistic skills.
British-Zambian artist Hannah’s portrait of Sarah Forbes Bonetta took pride of place at Osborne House.
Mrs Uzor said at the time that she was surprised Bonetta’s story was so little known in modern Britain given her place in royal history.
‘If her story was hidden, how much more of other people’s stories have been hidden?’ Uzor said.
‘Until we have our museums filled with Black figures — whether up there with the elite, or the poor Black person on the street — it’s just important to have a true reflection of our history,’ she said.
‘Though we can’t change mindsets with just one portrait, it’s the long-term legacy of what we do from now that really makes a bigger impact. The only way to continue the conversation is to look at our children and what they’re learning,’ she said.
‘With figures such as Sarah Forbes Bonetta, we’re able to view our history on 18th and 19th century Britain with a more holistic angle and one that includes Black Britain,’ she said.
She added: ‘So seeing that in mainstream media will really beautifully complement the work being done in schools’.
See the full feature in the July issue of Tatler, available via digital download and on newsstands from Thursday 30 May.