Kate Middleton's Birthday Pic Of Prince William Attempts To Turn The Tides On His Reputation

Birthday posts on social media are a big thing for many, with people celebrating their loved ones in beautiful photos and affection-filled captions. The royal family, hip to the ways of Instagram, is no exception, and when William, Prince of Wales turned 42 on June 21, the official @princeandprincessofwales account uploaded a post in his honor. 

Catherine, Princess of Wales was the writer of the birthday caption which read, "Happy Birthday Papa, we all love you so much! Cx." The photographer was also noted, with Kate Middleton herself capturing the future king William in a very un-king-like pose, barefoot and wearing pink shorts while leaping into the air.

The happy-go-lucky vibe of the prince is made even more endearing by the fact that he's holding hands with his three children, Princess Charlotte, and her brothers Prince Louis, and Prince George. He appears to be a committed family man who enjoys nothing more than spending time outdoors having loads of fun with his family. It's quite a different take for the public regarding William, as some have accused him of being a cheater with a mean streak. 

It's been a rough couple of years for William, Prince of Wales as his reputation has taken hit after hit. Rumors about him having an affair with British socialite Rose Hanbury surfaced in 2019, and have never fully left the public's thoughts — especially since Hanbury hasn't kept away from the royal family.

And although it's been years since he was known by schoolmates as "'Billy the Basher," a young boy with a mean streak, his alleged foul temper has followed him into adulthood. William has been called out for being violent by Prince Harry in his book, "Spare," and royal author Tom Quinn has written about William having shouting matches amid fights with his wife Kate Middleton. 

The prince's birthday photo seems to be an attempt to erase that bad reputation and replace it with a portrait of a happy family man — and it may actually be working. Since the post went live on Instagram, the image of Prince William laughing with his children has garnered well over one million likes and thousands of positive comments. Though Middleton wasn't in the photo, it wasn't lost on fans that she was the person behind the camera and that she was the focus of her husband's attention. As one person observed, "Prince William looking straight at his [heart]."