Kate Middleton’s Post-Baby Body Is Amazing — Can We Move On Already?

Elise Solé
Updated
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Kate Middleton and Prince William reveal their newborn daughter Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. (Photo: Getty Images)

After the world finished obsessing over photos of Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, the adorable newborn daughter of Kate Middleton and Prince William, the focus shifted to the inevitable: Middleton’s post-baby body.

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Less than 10 hours after undergoing a three-hour labor and giving birth to the second royal baby on Saturday, Prince William and Kate Middleton stood on the steps of St. Mary’s Hospital in London showing off their latest family addition. Middleton looked stunning wearing a white silk dress with yellow flowers (made by her favorite British designer Jenny Packham) and nude Stuart Weitzman stilettos. Her hair and makeup were also perfect.

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Naturally, Twitter blew up with commentary. “Kate Middleton looks like she spent the day at a spa and got a baby as a gift,” wrote PSU_Anonymous. “I find Kate Middleton’s post-birth professional scrub up more of a disservice to women than the Beach Body Ready Ads,” wrote @Caroclay. Media outlets also clamored to dissect Middleton’s postpartum presentation from providing accounts of her “glam squad” and promoting exercise routines that promised similar results.

The mixed reaction is unsurprising given the events that followed the birth of Prince George in 2013. While posing for photos wearing a blue polka-dot Jenny Packham dress and nude wedges, Middleton was both hailed for flaunting a rounder postpartum stomach and critiqued for her outfit, which was deemed too pristine.

Yes, Middleton is gorgeous, but the secret to her post-baby body probably lies in her genetics. The fact that she seems to have bounced back to her pre-pregnancy state shouldn’t be “impressive” or “amazing.” She’s simply built that way. Her body is not making a declaration about postpartum perfection or demanding that other new moms strive to look the same. Middleton is also not obligated to come clean about the effort behind her public appearance or to make self-deprecating comments about the shapewear she may (or may not) be wearing.

Sure, the duchess could have sent a powerful message by emerging from the hospital wearing yoga pants and a ponytail — I, for one, would’ve loved to see that — but given the media frenzy outside the hospital and the historical significance of the event (it’s a princess!), who can blame the girl for cleaning up a bit?

Postpartum bodies are dependent on women’s unique physiology, prenatal nutrition, and exercise habits, among other factors. Some mothers drop their baby weight quickly (or bear six-pack abs during their pregnancies), others need more time, and plenty never lose the weight at all. Celebrating Middleton’s postpartum body is no better than critiquing it, because the dialogue exasperates the body image wars (a topic actress Kristen Bell recently dubbed “stale”) and perpetuates the idea that women’s bodies are for public consumption. Conversely, publicly scolding Middleton for her appearance assumes that all women seek validation from celebrities and that none take pride in their post-pregnancy bodies.

Here’s hoping that baby Charlotte grows up in a kinder world. 

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