Iconic: Why I'm applauding Princess Isabella's birthday photo

OPINION: "Her mum, Queen Mary, took the snap - and so many of us can relate to the modern moment." 

There she is. Denmark’s Princess Isabella, Queen Mary's daughter, posing in an photo her mum took.

It's an official photo on the Danish Royal family's Instagram, marking the newly-minted adult's birthday.

So many of us mums have been Mary proudly capturing an 18th birthday milestone ... complete with a smartphone glued to their 'princess's' hands.

Just as it always it.

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It's a wonderful, modern and 99 percent relatable snap ... and would be 100 percent relatable, if the princess was not wearing a diamond tiara, royal jewels and dressed in ball gown.

In what’s being hailed the world around as a refreshing break from royal tradition, one of the official portraits of Denmark’s future queen isn't all stiff collars and corseted grandeur. It's modern. It's relaxed.

And honestly, it’s exactly the energy we need right now.

Princess Isabella. Image: @detdanskekongehus

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"There’s power in showing up exactly as you are"

I know, I know - there are those who would prefer their princesses pearl-clad and clasping a clutch. But as a mum of teens, I found the image genuinely refreshing.

Because in a world where our kids are often told they’re too online, too screen-obsessed, too digital, here’s a young woman at the centre of one of the most traditional institutions in the world saying: “This is my normal.”

And isn’t that what we all want for our kids? To see themselves reflected in the stories that shape them?

Let’s be real: raising teens right now feels like trying to get glitter out of carpet. Messy. Sparkly. Occasionally infuriating.

You’re constantly balancing that desire to keep them grounded while also giving them enough space to stretch, grow, and express themselves - even if that expression sometimes involves 113 mirror selfies and an Instagram notification during dinner.

But Princess Isabella’s photo? It wasn’t rebellion. It was resonance.

She wasn’t tossing out tradition. She was telling the next generation that being a modern royal doesn’t mean turning your back on the past - it means knowing how to bring it forward. That a sense of duty and a digital presence can coexist. And that there’s power in showing up exactly as you are.

Yes, even with your phone in your hand.

Of course, critics will argue it’s “too casual” or “not befitting of a royal milestone.” But I’d argue it’s a masterclass in showing how our kids can challenge convention with grace - and without burning the palace down in the process.

Because what Isabella’s done here - what every teen navigating this tricky, ultra-connected world is trying to do - is walk the tightrope between who they’re expected to be and who they actually are. And the fact that she did it with a pop of orange and an iPhone in hand? Iconic.

"Long live the group chat... and the crown"

It’s a gentle reminder to us as parents that tradition shouldn’t be a straightjacket. It should evolve. Just like the expectations we place on our kids. Maybe we can all loosen the grip a little. Maybe we don’t need to freak out when the group photo gets interrupted by a Snapchat streak. Maybe we stop calling their generation addicted and start calling them adaptable.

So no, this isn’t a story about a princess and her phone. It’s a story about a royal who said, “I see your expectations… and I raise you reality.”

And I, for one, am here for it.

Long live the crown. Long live the group chat. And long live the girls who know how to carry both.

Originally published as Iconic: Why I'm applauding Princess Isabella's birthday photo