Catherine, the princess of Wales underwent an abdominal surgery two months ago, leading to her being away from the public eye and media glare. On the occasion of Mother’s Day, the British Royal Family released Princess Catherine’s first official photo post-surgery. In the photo, she is seen sitting with all three of her children, Prince George standing behind her, and Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis standing next to her.
Several international news agencies initially published and later retracted this photo. The Associated Press, retracting the image, stated, “While there was no suggestion the photo was fake, AP retracted it because closer inspection revealed the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet AP’s photo standards. For instance, the photo shows an inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte’s left hand.”
News agency Reuters also mentioned that the image had been retracted after publishing, following a post-publication examination. Additionally, AFP, BBC, and Getty Images, among others, also retracted this image.
This photo was posted on the account of the Prince and Princess of Wales along with a message from Princess Catherine on Instagram. The message expressed gratitude for the well-wishes and the public’s continued support over the past two months. It stated, “Thank you for your kind wishes and ongoing support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a happy Mother’s Day.” The photo was taken by Prince William. The royal couple often releases their photos on special occasions, providing the media with guidance on how they can be used.
Several national newspapers featured this Mother’s Day photo on their front pages, and various international news outlets used this image on their websites. On careful inspection, it becomes evident that the photo has been manipulated. Several individuals also pointed out these discrepancies on social media
Later, the Prince and Princess of Wales issued a statement through their X (Twitter) and Instagram accounts, acknowledging, “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photo we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day.”
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