Prince William wasn’t the only one under fire for making a big stink and then dropping it over the past few weeks. The blunder, made in February, led him to adopt measures. The original post, which went viral on X (formerly Twitter) had to be rescinded, amended, and retracted within hours. This incident adds to a growing list of social media blunders that have plagued various royal families, showcasing the challenges of maintaining accurate public engagement in the digital age.
Nothing could be more PR-unfriendly then what Prince William did in February by botching a social media post. His obvious enthusiasm for the women’s game only amplified the misstep. The official @DofE account Tweeted that Princess Eugenie, herself an @DofE alumna, was inspiring young people to tell others about their #dofe achievements. That original tweet was wrong. After realizing the mistake, the tweet was quickly deleted and replaced with a correct tweet.
Previous Errors by the Royal Family
The British Royal Family hasn’t been safe from social media scandals in the past. In 2019, an even bigger blunder went viral when a tweet incorrectly wrote “Princess Eugenie.” This event highlighted the need to listen and read carefully. In addition, Queen Mary of Denmark was incorrectly labeled as Princess Kate in a photo posted online. These faux-pas add weight to the argument that communications that come from a royal should include the title and/or be accurate and reverent.
It’s a trap that other royal families have similarly fallen into. Meghan Markle’s new Instagram biography missed the mark. This confused the title—prompting critics to call her “Meghan, Duchess of Sussex,” rather than the appropriate, “Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.” These types of oversights may result in substantial confusion for associates and enthusiasts, highlighting the importance of clear language on formal accounts.
Humorous Translation Errors
Language barriers can make the situation worse, as could be heard during Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s birthday concert. The Norwegian Royal Family’s official Instagram page humorously mistranslated a birthday message to read, “Happy birthday to Crown Princess Mette-Marit who turns one year old today!” This comical faux pas is a poignant reminder that even the most positive and well-intentioned communications can easily be derailed by errors in translations.
Crown Princess Mette-Marit celebrated her 52nd birthday recently, and despite this humorous slip, the royal family continues to engage with its audience through various platforms. The significance of these interactions should not be overlooked, as they help introduce royalty to the public.
“Princess Eugenie speaks to a group of young people about how they achieved their Gold Award. The @DofE has inspired millions of young people to serve their communities, experience adventure and develop and learn outside of the classroom.” – hellomagazine.com
