The Princess of Wales has been forced to apologize after admitting editing a Mother's Day photo at the center of a growing royal row.
Six photo agencies, including the UK's most respected news agency PA Media, took the unprecedented step of removing the family photograph through so-called “death” notices amid suspicions it had been doctored.
This prompted Kate, who has been at the center of conspiracy theories about her health since undergoing abdominal surgery in January, to make a rare personal statement about the furore, admitting that she sometimes “experiments with editing” and apologizing for any “confusion.”
But, despite being under pressure to publish the original image to repair the public relations damage caused by the dispute, Kensington Palace said it would not republish the unedited photograph.
Kate was said to be very upset by the controversy and her friends told her The independent who He wanted to take care of the problem as soon as he could and do the right thing.
Her apology came hours before she was seen in public for the first time since the image was published and only the second time since her surgery earlier this year.
The image of the mother with her three children sparked widespread speculation that it had been digitally altered when it was shared to mark Mother's Day.
(Prince of Wales)
She was seen leaving Windsor with her husband, the Prince of Wales, in a car on Monday afternoon. William was heading to the annual Commonwealth ceremony at Westminster Abbey, while Kate is understood to have had a private appointment.
The photograph of Kate and her children (Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis) was the first published since the princess underwent surgery at the London Clinic on January 16. Details of her condition have been kept private and she is not expected to return to official duties until after Easter.
But the image sparked widespread speculation that it had been digitally altered. Among the numerous concerns raised by the image are the missing part of Princess Charlotte's sleeve and the misaligned edge of her skirt, as well as the position of Kate's zipper and the missing wedding ring on her finger. .
As concerns grew, international film agencies began removing the image, culminating in the UK's national news agency issuing a takedown notice on Monday morning. In a highly unusual move, PA Media said it had published the photo “in good faith” but had been forced to remove it due to a “lack of clarification” from the palace.
Within minutes, Kate posted a statement on social media, personally signed with a C by Catherine, in which she publicly took blame for the edited image.
The Prince of Wales speaks to guests as he attends an annual Commonwealth Day service ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London on Monday.
(POOL/AFP/Getty)
She said: “Like many amateur photographers, I experiment with editing from time to time. “I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion caused by the family photograph we shared yesterday.”
Royal sources insisted that the princess made “small adjustments” and that she and her husband simply wanted to offer an informal picture of the family together for what was a “wonderful” Mother's Day.
The image was released to reassure the public as conspiracy theories about Kate's health have gained increasing traction online in recent weeks.
But the palace faced mounting pressure over the debacle – dubbed “Kategate” and even “Sleevegate” – and the controversy was seen as damaging to public trust in the royal family.
The princess's confession raises questions about whether (and to what extent) the images have been altered in the past.
William and Kate have an established history of posting their own photographs to mark special occasions, including their children's birthdays.
Sky News said an examination of the photo's metadata revealed that it was saved in Adobe Photoshop twice on an Apple Mac on Friday and Saturday and that the photograph was taken with a Canon camera.
Guests watch a video of King Charles III delivering a message during the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London on Monday.
(Henry Nicholls/PA Wire)
Crisis and public relations consultant Mark Borkowski called the fiasco an “own goal” and said the unedited photo should be released to regain trust.
He said: “If they really want to regain some kind of trust they should post the photo unedited, it can't be that bad if they just made some adjustments.
“I think they've risen to the challenge, they provided the statement as an explanation; the question is, with all the conspiracy theories out there, do people believe it and I'm not sure they do.”
Agence France-Presse (AFP) director of photography Eric Baradat said The independent: “Any experienced professional in digital imaging is clear that it has been manipulated. “It has been done in a very amateur way.”
When news agencies contacted the palace over the weekend, it claimed they were told the photo had been retouched, but did not comment further or release another image. The AFP decided to recall the image in what Baradat believes is the first time the agency has removed an official image of the British royal family.
In its advisory issued to the media on Sunday, AP said: “On closer inspection, it appears that the source has manipulated the image. No replacement photos will be sent.”
Queen Camilla and the Prince of Wales attending the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey
(Henry Nicholls/PA Wire)
Associated Press (AP), Agence France-Presse (AFP) and Getty Images are among the international news agencies that removed the image.
The controversy also overshadowed the Commonwealth Day service, one of the key royal events of the year, which Prince William attended at Westminster Abbey on Monday afternoon.
The heir to the throne and the Queen met with the royal family in the absence of the King, who continues treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, during what has been a challenging start to 2024 for the Windsors.
However, Charles delivered his annual address to the family of nations via video message in which he vowed to continue serving the Commonwealth “to the best of his ability.” He also expressed his gratitude to those who wished him well for his health and said that the union of 56 member countries was a “precious source of strength, inspiration and pride” for him.
Since his cancer diagnosis was announced on February 5, the monarch has postponed all public duties but continues to work behind the scenes on his red boxes of state documents and holds some in-person meetings.
Less than three weeks earlier, on January 16, Buckingham Palace had announced that the 75-year-old would be treated for a benign enlarged prostate in hospital, hours after breaking the news that Kate had undergone surgery. at the London Clinic the day before. . Details about the princess's condition have been kept private and she is not expected to return to official duties until after Easter.
The independent has contacted Kensington Palace for comment.
