<\/p>\n
Backlash continues to flood the comments section of an Instagram post from the British royal family\u2019s official account, days after it was published<\/a>. According to Pink News<\/em><\/a>, the comments on the post featuring Queen Camilla with Harry Potter<\/em> author J.K. Rowling have since been limited. Instagram\u2019s \u201climited comments\u201d setting lets an account restrict who can comment or automatically hide comments containing certain words, without necessarily disabling commenting altogether. As of Thursday, the comment section still had the comments box open to some users and appeared to have more than 9,000 comments<\/a> visible.<\/p>\n The controversy began earlier this week on June 30, when Queen Camilla met with Rowling at the Palace of Holyroodhouse<\/a> in Edinburgh. According to the photo caption, the meeting took place \u201cwith a shared passion for books and a deep commitment to children reading for pleasure,\u201d and that the two \u201cdiscussed the importance of ensuring that young people have access to books.\u201d<\/p>\n However, it drew immediate criticism given Rowling\u2019s public stance on transgender issues. Commenters at the time called the meeting poorly timed, noting it fell on the last day of Pride Month. Many posted trans pride flag emojis alongside messages of support for the transgender community. One commenter wrote, \u201cAs an admirer of the Queen and her Reading Room I\u2019m deeply disappointed in her giving a platform to JKR, any month but especially during Pride Month. There are many other admirable individuals to spotlight who champion reading for children and young people.\u201d Another said, \u201cVery sad to see and read while in some places in England queer books are BANNED from libraries and schools.\u201d<\/p>\n Rowling has increasingly spoken out against transgender rights<\/a> in recent years. Responding to criticism in 2023<\/a>, she said, \u201cI was not uncomfortable with getting off my pedestal and what has interested me over the last 10 years, and certainly over the last two, three years, particularly on social media [is people saying]: \u2018Oh, you\u2019ve ruined your legacy. You could have been beloved forever. I do not walk around my house thinking about my legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2025, she shared a photo of herself to her X account<\/a>, smoking a cigar while holding a cocktail and appearing to be on vacation at a warm locale. The photo was accompanied with the caption \u201cI love it when a plan comes together.\u201d The post had been published soon after the UK supreme court ruled<\/a> that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex.<\/p>\n Several actors from the Harry Potter<\/em> franchise have publicly criticized Rowling\u2019s comments and spoken out in support of transgender rights. \u201cI disagree with Jo [Rowling]\u2019s comments,\u201d Eddie Redmayne, star of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them<\/em>, said in 2020<\/a>. \u201cTrans women are women, trans men are men and non-binary identities are valid.\u201d<\/p>\n Emma Watson, who starred in all eight of the original Harry Potter <\/em>films, more recently spoke more about her fallout<\/a> with Rowling over the issue. Watson previously said, \u201cTrans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren\u2019t who they say they are.\u201d<\/p>\n Rachel King (she\/her) is a news writer at\u00a0Town & Country<\/em>. Before joining\u00a0T&C<\/em>, she spent nearly a decade as an editor at\u00a0Fortune<\/em>. Her work covering travel and lifestyle has appeared in\u00a0Forbes<\/em>,\u00a0Observer<\/em>,\u00a0Robb Report,<\/em> Cruise Critic<\/em>, and\u00a0Cool Hunting<\/em>, among others. Originally from San Francisco, she lives in New York with her wife, their daughter, and a precocious labradoodle. Follow her on Instagram at\u00a0<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n