The Princess of Wales after admitting to editing a family photograph released on Mother’s Day. The image, taken by Prince William, was meant to capture a candid moment with the Princess and her children.
“Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C.”
This unprecedented incident has raised questions about the authenticity of royal photographs, with some labeling it “Kategate” and “Sleevegate.” The controversy comes at a time when the Princess has been under scrutiny, and the released image was intended to reassure the public amid online conspiracy theories.
Recall that on March 10, the Prince and Princess of Wales shared a delightful family photo on their social media accounts, capturing the future queen, Catherine, 42, with her three children—George, 10, Charlotte, 8, and Louis, 5. The snapshot, dated 2024, was credited to Prince William, 41.
However, several news wire agencies later removed the photo after detecting inconsistencies. The Associated Press cited an alignment issue with Princess Charlotte’s hand, while Reuters noted a problem with the alignment of the sleeve on Kate’s daughter’s cardigan, suspecting image manipulation.
Getty Images, AFP, and PA Media also issued statements regarding concerns over the image’s authenticity. Despite these issues, the social media posts remained unaffected until Monday morning.
