When you're a public figure, you're bound to be judged for every move you make.
When celebrities are faced with heavy criticism, they know when they should speak out or lay low and let them die out, hoping no one else will jump on the fault-finding bandwagon.
However, sometimes stars will let their thoughts and opinions be heard, and instead of solely focusing on the issue, end up dragging unsuspecting people into.
Kate Middleton is the latest public figure to become embroiled in another celebrity's rant, which was said by none other than Keira Knightley.
"Stand there with your girl and be shot by a pack of male photographers."
The day before the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to Princess Charlotte back in 2015, The Imitation Game actress and her husband James Righton welcomed their daughter Edie into the world.
But while Middleton appeared fresh faced and camera ready when stepping out of the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital, Knightley wasn't impressed by how the royal presented herself.
According to Refinery29, the 33-year-old contributed a piece called "The Weaker Sex" in a feminist essay collection Feminists Don't Wear Pink (And Other Lies).
In the essay, Knightley holds nothing back.
"We stand and watch the TV screen. She [Kate] was out of hospital seven hours later with her face made up and high heels on. The face the world wants to see.
Hide. Hide our pain, our bodies splitting, our breasts leaking, our hormones raging. Look beautiful. Look stylish, don't show your battleground, Kate.
Seven hours after your fight with life and death, seven hours after your body breaks open, and bloody, screaming life comes out. Don't show. Don't tell. Stand there with your girl and be shot by a pack of male photographers."
But while the Academy Award-nominee was vocal about her disdain for Middleton's appearance, she also made a point to share her experience with childbirth.
"And I am the weaker sex?"
Dedicated to her now three-year-old daughter, Knightley intimately detailed what went on following her own labor.
"My vagina split," she wrote. "You came out with your eyes open. Arms up in the air. Screaming. They put you on to me, covered in blood, vernix, your head misshapen from the birth canal. Pulsating, gasping, screaming."
"You latched on to my breast immediately, hungrily, I remember the pain. The mouth clenched tight around my nipple, light sucking on and sucking out."
"I remember the s"”, the vomit, the blood, the stitches. I remember my battleground. Your battleground and life pulsating. Surviving. And I am the weaker sex? You are?"
While Knightley may have had good intentions when writing her piece, social media commentators were quick to throw their two cents in.
"She had to use Kate like that, to get attention for herself."
After snippets of Knightley's essay were made public it became appearant that the vast majority weren't in her favor.
I'm sorry Keira had a traumatic delivery but that DOESN'T give her the right to attack Catherine, who is in a different social position. I'm thoroughly disgusted with Keira 🤬https://t.co/8W50Zy6bvl via https://t.co/VNPlUDzepD
— Viktoria Plum 🇬🇧 (@Viktoria_Plum) October 6, 2018
Keira Knightley came off so foolishly criticizing Kate Middleton for dressing up right after childbirth. She is royalty it's kind of her job. Also, how did that belittle the act of childbirth? SMH. pic.twitter.com/0USQtYIdLV
— Jess (@dazzle715) October 6, 2018
Some women prefer to keep their shit to themselves. The ideal of feminism is that we women are independent, autonomous beings who cannot be controlled by any other person or group. Including other women. Quit shaming cause she's different from you. ⦠https://t.co/NaYJ4cvsCT
— Velveeta Cheetah (@VelveetaCheetah) October 5, 2018
Others believe Knightley included the mother-of-three in her comments as a way "to get attention for herself," and a display of jealousy.
Jealous or what? Desperate for attention?
— jca floorings (@jcafloorings) October 7, 2018
Oh shut up Keira. I'm sure Kate would have loved to have slobbed around in her trackie bottoms but she was expected to face the world's press and if she'd looked anything but perfect they would have annihilated her. You sound a bit #Jealous to me! https://t.co/OCGv74HdIn
— Alison Labbett (@alilabbett) October 6, 2018
If she'd directed her comments at society in general, she wouldn't be getting any attention now. She had to use Kate like that, to get attention for herself.
— Patricia Schwarz (@TessEractica) October 7, 2018
However, in the midst of the criticism, one person defended the Pride & Prejudice star, saying Knightley simply wanted to highlight what "childbirth actually looks like."
Getting so mad at people attaching Keira Knightley. She wasn't criticising Kate personally but the royal family and how society doesn't want to see what childbirth actually looks like.
— ClaireBOOcoco 👻 (@Clairebellcoco) October 6, 2018
Regardless of Knightley's intentions, we know she'll think twice before calling out another celebrity any time soon.
[H/T: PEOPLE]
