Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton has addressed the controversy surrounding her Mother’s Day photo issued by Kensington Palace, claiming responsibility for the editing.
The Princess of Wales apologized for any confusion caused by the family photograph, explaining that, like many amateur photographers, it common to occasionally experiments with editing.
In a statement seen by The Kenya Times Kate expressed her regrets noting that she hopes everyone celebrating Mother’s Day had a joyful experience.
Signing off the statement with her initial, “C,” the princess of Wales sought to clarify the situation surrounding the image featuring her and her children – George, Charlotte, and Louis.
“Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day,” she stated.
Kate’s response came amid mounting pressure on the Palace to respond to questions about potential photo manipulation, especially concerning the first picture of Kate after her abdominal surgery in January.
Photo Manipulation Concerns
Royal sources told the Press Association that the Princess of Wales made “minor adjustments” to the photo, emphasizing that the intention was to provide an informal picture of the family celebrating Mother’s Day together.
On BBC Radio 4 Today’s program, royal photographer Ian Lloyd acknowledged that manipulation of royal photographs is common but highlighted the rarity of withdrawing an image.
He humorously remarked, “Someone at Kensington Palace is not very good at Photoshop.”
Major news agencies, including The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse, took down the image featuring Princess of Wales Kate Middleton and her children.
The image, officially distributed by Kensington Palace was intended to mark Mother’s Day celebrations in the United Kingdom.
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The photo, credited to the Prince of Wales, shows Kate seated outside, surrounded by her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
A post on their official Instagram account accompanied the photo, expressing gratitude for the well-wishes and continued support over the last two months.
“Thank you for your kind wishes and constant support over the past two months. Happy Mother’s Day to everyone. To The Prince of Wales, 2024,” read the caption.
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Kensington Palace confirmed that the photo was taken earlier in the week in Windsor.
Nonetheless, withdrawal notices sent out by news agencies cited concerns about potential manipulation.
“We are removing this image following a post publication review. Regions Affected: WORLDWIDE Please remove it from your systems as follows: If this image has already been used online, please remove it from your properties and pages,” said Reuters.
According to the Associated Press, a closer inspection revealed possible alterations, with both AP and Reuters specifically pointing out the sleeve of Kate’s daughter, Charlotte, as an area showing evidence of manipulation.
Agence France-Presse mentioned an “editorial issue” as the reason behind their decision to withdraw the image.
Kate Middelton Photo Manipulation Allegations
Following this development, social media platforms have been buzzing with speculation about Kate’s health and whereabouts, fueled by observations from users, including a self-identified photography enthusiast, who pointed out apparent alterations in the image.
Users highlighted perceived distortions in the sleeve and skirt areas, missing wedding ring and with some noting that even amateur photographers could spot the retouching errors.
Kenneth Kaminsky while commenting on the post stated, “The Princess of Wales is not wearing her engagement/wedding rings?”
In January, Kensington Palace had announced that Kate, recovering from surgery at home in Windsor, was unlikely to return to public duties until Easter.
However, the nature of her surgery remained undisclosed, adding to the intrigue surrounding her health with the withdrawal of the Mother’s Day photo only intensifying the speculation.
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Kensington Palace had previously stated that Kate’s surgery was not cancer-related, and the Princess desired to keep her personal medical information private.
The 42-year-old future queen’s last public appearance was during a Christmas Day walk in Sandringham, Norfolk.
Kate is expected to refrain from official duties until after Easter, with William temporarily stepping back from his royal role to care for her and their children during her recovery.
As the controversy unfolds, Kensington Palace has remained silent on the matter, refusing to comment on the allegations of photo manipulation.
