The photograph, posted on the Prince and Princess of Wales' Instagram on Mother’s Day, attracted attention partly because it was the first image of Princess Kate made public since her absence after abdominal surgery in January.
Shortly after its release, leading agencies like Reuters, the Associated Press (AP), Getty Images, and Agence France-Presse (AFP) instructed media to delete the photo from their systems, citing concerns over digital manipulation.
Signs of editing were noted in several parts of the image, such as the end of Princess Charlotte’s sleeve and her skirt, along with apparent alterations to her hair among other inconsistencies.
The AP explained to Sky News that the photo was initially accepted as it was provided by Kensington Palace, the official residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales. However, it was pulled from circulation after a detailed review showed the image had been altered in ways that did not align with AP's standards for photos.
Reuters and AFP also removed the photo after further scrutiny revealed it had been edited, as reported by Sky News.
While the alterations might seem trivial, respected news outlets typically avoid distributing images that have been significantly or poorly edited.
Following the surgical procedure in January, Kensington Palace assured the public of Kate's good health but has since remained mostly silent on her condition. This recent incident of a possibly altered photo could fuel further speculation and potentially affect the credibility of official communications from the royals.
Despite the controversy, Kensington Palace has not commented on the issue, and the photo is still visible on their Instagram account.
