The first official photo of Britain’s Princess Kate Middleton, released since her abdominal surgery, has sparked controversy. Multiple news agencies have withdrawn the image, alleging that it was manipulated.
The picture features the Princess alongside her three children, and its authenticity has been called into question. Despite the recall by news agencies, the photo remains on the Princess’ social media accounts.
Indeed, the Kensington Palace unveiled the photograph on Sunday, specifically to commemorate Mother’s Day in Britain.
In the photograph, the Princess of Wales is captured in a casual ensemble, wearing jeans, a sweater, and a dark jacket. Seated on a garden chair, she is joined by her three children: George, Charlotte, and Louis. Notably, her engagement ring is absent in the image, a detail that has sparked conversations across social media platforms.
Indeed, the photograph was captured by her husband, Prince William, who is the heir to the British throne. The setting for this intimate moment was Windsor, where Kate has been recuperating since her discharge.
The photo was accompanied by a heartfelt message: “Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day.” The signature, “C,” likely represents Catherine.
This morning, three major news agencies—AP, AFP, and Reuters—withdrew the photo due to concerns about manipulation. However, the United Kingdom’s largest news agency, PA, which is the channel through which the Royal family releases official notifications, has not yet taken similar action.
“It has come to light that the Handout issued by Kensington Palace today of Kate and the kids had been altered, therefore it was withdrawn from AFP systems,” news agency said in a note to its clients.
According to a BBC report, Kensington Palace has chosen not to comment on the withdrawal of the photo by the news agencies.
Multiple users have raised concerns that the Royal family shared an AI-generated image of the Princess. They specifically noted that this is the first instance where she was photographed without her engagement ring.
“If the #princessofwales photo is from this last week as the palace claims…why wouldn’t Comms. make sure she had her engagement ring on her hand? Like, YOU KNOW people will hone in on that. Yes, PW allegedly took the photo but COME on,” said a user.
Kate’s temporary withdrawal from public appearances has ignited fervent speculation and given rise to a plethora of intriguing conspiracy theories. The Palace, in response to her absence, clarified that her surgery was unrelated to cancer and that she would likely resume her public duties after Easter.
Earlier this year, King Charles, Kate’s father-in-law, received a cancer diagnosis. The future queen herself was last seen in December, attending church services alongside her family in Sandringham.
On January 16, the future queen underwent abdominal surgery and was subsequently discharged on January 29. The recent photograph shared by the palace marks the first official family portrait released since her recovery.
Prior to this, she was spotted traveling in a car last Monday. Notably, certain UK media outlets, including the Daily Mail and The Sun, opted not to publish those earlier photos.
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