Close inspection reveals Princess Charlotte’s left hand is misaligned
Catherine, Princess of Wales, apologized on Monday and admitted editing an official portrait of her published by the palace after AFP and others retracted it.
Kate, 42, has not been seen in public since attending a Christmas church service and underwent abdominal surgery in January, sparking speculation about her health, especially online.
On Sunday, her Kensington Palace office tried to dispel the rumors by distributing an alleged official photo taken by her husband, Prince William, of her and their three children.
But problems soon arose with the Mother’s Day portrait of a smiling Kate, dressed in casual attire and sitting on a garden chair, surrounded by Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
The differences include some inconsistencies, such as Charlotte’s left hand not aligning with the sleeve of the cardigan and part of the sleeve missing.
The eight-year-old princess’s hair fell suddenly over her shoulders, while Kate’s zipper was lighter than elsewhere.
AFP, Getty, the Associated Press (AP) and Reuters all had policies in place regarding the dissemination of manipulated images and took them down, despite initially publishing photos provided by Kensington Palace.
Britain’s Domestic Press Association said on Monday it would also withdraw the image, citing a “lack of clarification” about the Kensington Palace image.
Within minutes of PA’s announcement, Buckingham Palace released a statement on X (formerly Twitter), signed “C” for Catherine.
“Like many amateur photographers, I occasionally try my hand at editing,” it says. “I would like to apologize for any confusion caused by the family photos we shared yesterday.”
Like many amateur photographers, I occasionally try my hand at editing. I would like to apologize for any confusion caused by the family photos we shared yesterday. I hope everyone celebrating had a happy Mother’s Day. C
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 11, 2024
– ‘destroy’ –
Many commentators said the scandal had cast new doubts about the royal family’s assurances about Kate’s health and recovery.
William, 41, and other senior royals are expected to attend the annual Commonwealth Day celebrations in central London later on Monday.
Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said the situation was “damaging” for the family. “They know any photo they post of Kate will generate intense interest,” he said.
“The challenge they face is that people will now question whether they can be trusted and believed when they next issue a health update.”
Graham Smith, head of the Republic pressure group calling for an elected head of state, added: “It’s simple. Don’t use their own photos. This is PR, not journalism.”
Kate’s absence is of great interest because King Charles III’s eldest son, William, is heir to the throne, meaning she will one day become queen.
She was admitted to hospital on January 16 for planned surgery and then discharged on January 29 to recuperate at home until at least Easter, March 31, according to Kensington Palace.
The controversial photo was posted on all royal social media channels and shared widely across the UK and around the world, with a message signed by Kate.
“Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the past two months. Happy Mother’s Day to everyone,” it read.
But AFP said in a note to clients that it had withdrawn the photo after “discovering that a handout of Kate and the children distributed by Kensington Palace today had been altered.”
The Associated Press said it had withdrawn the image because “upon closer inspection, the source appeared to have manipulated the image in a manner that did not meet AP photo standards.” Reuters said similarly.
– Health issues –
British newspapers quickly changed their front pages late Sunday to reflect the brewing controversy.
Royal officials did not specify the nature of Kate’s surgery but said it was not related to cancer.
Earlier this month, a stolen photo was posted on celebrity news site TMZ, purportedly showing Kate wearing sunglasses while her mother drove.
The sighting, said to have taken place near William and Kate’s home in Windsor, west London, also failed to quell conspiracy theories on social media about Kate’s absence from the spotlight.
News of Kate’s admission comes after her father-in-law was treated for benign prostatic hyperplasia.
It was subsequently announced that he had been diagnosed with an unrelated but as yet unspecified cancer, forcing him to cancel public events and ban some formal meetings.
Charles, 75, has only served as king and British head of state since the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, in September 2022.
His wife, Queen Camilla, 76, has since risen to become the royal family’s most senior figure in public events.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
