Palace photo, intended to dispel rumors about Catherine, instead makes them a fan
A photo of Catherine, Princess of Wales, with her three children, released by Kensington Palace and intended to show her recovery from surgery, has come under scrutiny after three news agencies advised news organizations on Sunday evening to withdraw the photo. manipulated by the palace.
Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse issued advisories on the photo, which circulated widely on news sites including The New York Times and on social media after it was circulated around the palace on Sunday morning. The Times has now removed the photo from an article about it.
In a “kill alert” issued Sunday evening, the AP said: “On closer inspection, it appears that the source manipulated the image. No replacement image will be sent.” It added: “Remove it from all platforms, including social media, where it may still be visible.”
Kensington Palace, where Catherine and her husband, Prince William, have their offices, did not respond to requests for comment. Earlier, a palace official said the photo was taken by William last week in Windsor, where the couple live in Adelaide Cottage, in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
The accusation that the photo was tampered with is likely to deepen the mystery surrounding 42-year-old Catherine, who has not appeared in public since undergoing abdominal surgery almost two months ago. Although a paparazzi photo of Catherine circulated on the gossip site TMZ last week, this was the first official photo of the princess since her hospitalization in January.
The AP reported that the photo “shows an inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte’s left hand.” The photo showed Catherine flanked by Charlotte, her daughter and youngest son, Louis. George, her eldest son, stands behind her.
The AP and other agencies have strict rules against manipulating photos. In its statement on news values and principles, the AP says: “The content of a photo may not be altered in Photoshop or in any other way. No element may be digitally added or removed from a photograph.”
News agencies allow minimal editing of photos, including cropping, and adjusting color and tone. But in this case, the agency reported, “the source manipulated the image in a manner that does not meet AP photo standards.”
Catherine’s prolonged absence from the public eye and lack of information about her medical condition or recovery have created a firestorm of rumors and conspiracy theories about her condition on social media.
The questions mounted after William abruptly canceled his attendance at a memorial service, citing a personal matter. Last week, the British military had to withdraw an announcement on its website that Catherine would take part in a military ceremony to mark King Charles III’s birthday in June.
The photo, timed to coincide with Mother’s Day in Britain, was intended to dampen that speculation somewhat. But even before the agencies issued their advisory, questions about the photo began circulating on social media. Town & Country, Cosmopolitan and Elle magazines have taken note of the fact that Catherine does not appear to be wearing her wedding or engagement rings in the photo.
“This is damaging to the royal family,” said Peter Hunt, former royal correspondent for the BBC. said on X. “They knew there would be intense interest in any photo they released of Kate. Their challenge is that people will now wonder if they can be trusted and believed the next time they release a health update.