Royal Snafu,
There was a stir on social media recently surrounding a photo shared by Catherine, Princess of Wales (formerly Kate Middleton) for Mother’s Day. The picture, featuring the Princess with her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, came under scrutiny for possible digital manipulation.
Sharp-eyed social media users and photo agencies like Reuters and Associated Press noticed inconsistencies in the image, leading them to believe it had been edited. These concerns swirled amidst ongoing public curiosity about the Princess’s whereabouts following her abdominal surgery in January.
The Princess addressed the situation with an apology, acknowledging her occasional use of photo editing tools “like many amateur photographers.” She expressed regret for any confusion caused by the Mother’s Day picture.
However, the photo remained on the official royal couple’s Instagram profile, prompting the platform to intervene. An “Altered photo/video” warning now appears below the image, flagging it for potential manipulation. Clicking on the warning provides users with further details from independent fact-checkers, confirming the photo’s editing but clarifying that it wasn’t presented out of context.