Prince William, Kate Middleton Alleged COVID-19 Protocol Violation Sparks 'Double Standards' Discussion On Twitter

Kate Middleton and Prince William were accused of accidentally breaking COVID-19 restrictions during their Sunday outing. However, some royal watchers and Twitter users believe they didn't get as much criticism as they should have over the alleged violation.

Prince William and Middleton reportedly stepped out with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to visit the Lumiere light show in the gardens of Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England. Photos published by the Daily Mail claim to show they met Prince Edward's family of four at the venue, leading to accusations that they broke the U.K. government's "rule of six."

Following the outing, one royal author noted the lack of criticism toward the Cambridges from the media and suggested that things would be different if the royals involved were Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

"Imagine if this involved a certain other royal couple? Low-rent panel shows would be calling every furious expert on speed dial, rush-reporting would claim the Queen is 'disappointed' (per royal source), and a new overnight YouGov poll would call for titles to be stripped," royal correspondent Omid Scobie tweeted without mentioning the Sussexes' names.

Norfolk is currently under Tier 2 restrictions, which only allow six people, including children, to meet up outdoors if they are not from the same household or support bubble.

"You can see friends and family you do not live with (or do not have a support bubble with) outdoors, in a group of no more than six. This limit of six includes children of any age," the U.K. government stated on its website.

A number of Twitter users appeared to share the royal biographer's views.

"Exactly @scobie sometimes it helps to be just brave and point out the definite double standards. A very 'soft' rule for the Cambridges and a 'super harsh' rule for the Sussexes," one commented.

"Thanks for the fair reporting Omid. To me any other royal reporter who fails to acknowledge this fact, is a clown who’s in cohorts with the royals," another wrote.

"Also, just curious. Are the other people that attended - who can clearly be seen in the photos - in trouble as well? Also, these are clearly taken from a personal phone. Where’s the outrage? If it were the Sussexes, people would be burning them at the stake," a third user commented.

"It’s a clear picture how another couple was treated and had no other choice but to leave the Family. I won’t call them the RF because royalty is supposed to have class honor and dignity, which I haven’t seen since HM got married. Where is Piers big mouth, it should be breaking news," another added.

Some accused Scobie of being biased toward Markle and Prince Harry. Scobie and co-author Carolyn Durand released a biography on the Sussexes' titled "Finding Freedom" in the summer, and Markle had admitted to playing a role in the creation of the book.

Others, however, came to Prince William and Middleton's defense, pointing out that they practiced social distancing during their outing and that the Cambridges and Wessexes arrived separately at the attraction.

One Twitter user put the blame on Prince Edward and his family, saying Prince William and Middleton were entitled to be in the estate. However, she also agreed that if Prince Harry and Markle were involved, "people would have foam coming out of their mouths."

Despite the division among netizens, several reputable outlets claimed that the Sussexes and Cambridges' relationship has gotten better since Prince Harry and Markle stepped down as senior members of the royal family. The couple reportedly sent their Christmas presents to Prince William and Middleton earlier this month as they couldn't fly to the U.K. this holiday season.