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Princess Kate ‘reassuring’ Mother’s Day image ‘done completely opposite’, says royal biographer
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The Princess of Wales has been pictured leaving Windsor Castle with Prince William just hours after she issued an apology for editing a family photo on Mother’s Day.
Kensington Palace confirmed Kate had left Windsor with William who is due to attend the Commonwealth Day service in London this afternoon.
Kate is not attending the service, but is understood to have a private appointment.
The palace has been put under pressure to release the original Mother’s Day photo after major news agencies pulled the image.
The photo shows Kate Middleton smiling surrounded by her three children in what is the first official picture of the princess since she underwent abdominal surgery in January.
However, within hours of it being posted on social media, picture agencies began recalling the photo citing fears it had been “manipulated”.
Eagle-eyed royal fans pointed out a number of editing failures, including that the sleeve of Princess Charlotte’s cardigan did not line up.
In an Instagram post on Monday morning, Kate wrote: “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.”
Recommended Why photo agencies pulled Kate Middleton’s mothers day photo Kensington Palace silent after picture agencies pull first image of Kate after surgery over editing fears Palace breaks silence on Kate Middleton health conspiracy theories on social media Don’t believe your eyes: how technology is changing photography forever
Key points Kate seen leaving Windsor with William Kate apologises and admits editing Mother’s Day picture Kensington Palace refuses to reissue original unedited photo UK’s national news agency withdraws photo as ‘palace fails to clarify concerns’ Palace faces questions over Kate’s first picture after surgery
Show latest update 2 minutes ago
Protesters from the Republic campaign group gathered near Westminster Abbey on Monday as the Queen and Prince William attended the Commonwealth Day service.
The demonstrators carried bright yellow placards bearing the slogan “Down with the Crown”.
Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, said: “The royals need to stop using the Commonwealth as a vehicle for their own PR.
“The platitudes we hear from Charles and Camilla only serve to paper over serious concerns about human rights abuses and a lack of democracy in many Commonwealth countries.”
He added: “The royal family funded, promoted and defended slavery for centuries, and then presided over an empire that caused untold damage to people’s lives that continues to have an impact to this day.
“Reparations are a reasonable demand. As a hereditary monarch, Charles can hardly argue that what his ancestors did has nothing to do with him.”
(Yui Mok/PA Wire)
(Lucy North/PA Wire)
Athena Stavrou 11 March 2024 17:46
43 minutes ago Mother’s Day photo exposes PR problem for monarchy, says expert
The Mother’s Day photo of Kate Middleton has exposed a public relations problem for the monarchy, an expert has said.
Public relations and crisis consultant Mark Borkowski said: “There doesn’t seem to be that much joined up strategic thinking at the heart of the royal family at the moment, which leads to these problems where it’s a very difficult organisation to manage in terms of PR.”
He added: “It’s a nightmare, even the softer stories of Edward turning 60 this week haven’t really resonated at all because no one’s interested in them, they’re interested in the stars they’re not interested in the supporting cast and that is a problem at the moment. They are under pressure, massively under pressure, this is a massive own goal.”
Speaking about Kate’s statement, he said: “It’s plausible she’s at home playing with the computer and using an AI tool, but if they’re really going to regain any sort of trust they should release the unedited photo, it can’t be that bad if they just made a few tweaks.
“I find they have risen to the challenge, provided the statement as an explanation – the question is with all the conspiracy theories running around, is whether people believe it and I’m not sure that they will.”
Athena Stavrou 11 March 2024 17:05
1 hour ago Queen Camilla and Prince William share laugh as they attend Commonwealth Day service
The Prince of Wales and Queen Camilla were seen sharing a giggle as they led the royal family at a Commonwealth Day service in Westminster Abbey today.
King Charles III was absent from the event as he continues his recovery from cancer, but did send a pre-recorded address that was played out to those who attended the celebration.
William was all smiles as he made his first public appearance since the Princess of Wales admitted to “editing” their Mother’s Day picture.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent were also at the abbey.
Watch the video here:
Queen Camilla and Prince William share laugh as they attend Commonwealth Day service The Prince of Wales and Queen Camilla were seen sharing a giggle as they led the royal family at a Commonwealth Day service in Westminster Abbey on Monday 11 March. King Charles III was absent from the event as he continues his recovery from cancer, but did send a pre-recorded address that was played out to those who attended the celebration. William was all smiles as he made his first public appearance since the Princess of Wales admitted to “editing” their Mother’s Day picture. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent were also at the abbey.
Athena Stavrou 11 March 2024 16:40
1 hour ago Kate’s uncle pleads public to stop commenting on ‘sleevegate'
The Princess of Wales’s uncle has described the first picture of the royal since her surgery as “beautiful” and “really genuine”.
The image of Kate and her children was withdrawn by international picture agencies later the same day because of concerns that the image had been manipulated.
Speaking to Good Morning Britain about the image, Gary Goldsmith said: “The smiles on faces said it all for me, I thought it was beautiful.
“Obviously the family wouldn’t be the ones to do any touch-ups, so if that’s gone through some filter before it’s gone out to the broader world, but they wouldn’t be doing photoshopping themselves.
“But all I was looking at is the faces and the smiles and it just looks like a beautiful family that they are, and they look really genuine, smiles on faces. And this whole ‘sleevegate’ thing, just leave it alone.”
Mr Goldsmith said he had not spoken to Kate in “maybe a year”.
His comments come a week after he made several comments about Kate and the royal family while in the Celebrity Big Brother house.
(PA Archive)
Athena Stavrou 11 March 2024 16:21
2 hours ago King Charles delivers video message at Commonwealth Day Service
Guests watched a video of King Charles delivering a message during the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey today.
Charles was missing from the service as he continues to receive treatment for cancer, but in his annual address to the family of nations, he pledged to continue to serve the Commonwealth “to the best of my ability”.
Since his cancer diagnosis was announced on February 5, Charles has postponed all public-facing duties but is continuing with behind-the-scenes work on his red boxes of state papers and holding some in-person meetings.
His address highlighted how “diversity” was the Commonwealth’s core “strength”, and the union of 56 member countries was a “precious source of strength, inspiration, and pride” to him.
Charles said in the video message: “In recent weeks, I have been most deeply touched by your wonderfully kind and thoughtful good wishes for my health and, in return, can only continue to serve you, to the best of my ability, throughout the Commonwealth”
(Henry Nicholls/PA Wire)
Athena Stavrou 11 March 2024 15:45
2 hours ago Why the controversy over editing and manipulation could be just the beginning
It was seemingly intended to end speculation. But the latest image released of the Princess of Wales has only led to more of it.
As soon as the picture was released, people began to notice inconsistencies: a sleeve that seemed to disappear, and blurring around the edges of clothes.
The day after it was released, a new statement attributed to Kate appeared in a tweet reading: “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.”
The suggestion that it was edited in the same way that “many amateur photographers” do could be a hint at the fact that changed images are becoming increasingly prevalent – and increasingly convincing. There is a long history of misleading images, but they have never been so easy to create as they are now.
Indeed, edited images are now so commonplace that the people taking them might not even realise that they are doing so. New phones and other cameras include technology that tries to improve pictures – but can also be changing them in unknown ways.
Read more from my colleague Andrew Griffin below:
Kate photo: Why this controversy could be just the beginning Concern over misleading images is not new – but it is now so easy to make them that people might not even know they are doing it
Athena Stavrou 11 March 2024 15:27
2 hours ago In pictures: Royal family arrive at the Commonwealth Day service
(via REUTERS)
(Yui Mok/PA Wire)
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh arrive for the annual Commonwealth Day Service
(Yui Mok/PA Wire)
Athena Stavrou 11 March 2024 15:04
2 hours ago Prince William attends Commonwealth Day service amid photoshop crisis
The Prince of Wales has arrived at today’s Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey.
He was pictured earlier leaving Windsor with his wife, Kate, who this morning issued an apology for photoshopping a family photo for Mother’s Day.
It was the first official photo issued of her since she underwent abdominal surgery in January.
Prince William has joined the Queen at today’s service.
(AP)
Athena Stavrou 11 March 2024 14:52
3 hours ago Kate pictured leaving Windsor castle
The Princess of Wales has been pictured leaving Windsor Castle just hours after she admitted to and apologised for editing a Mother’s Day photo.
Kensington Palace confirmed the Princess of Wales left Windsor in a car with the Prince of Wales as William was driven to the Commonwealth Day service in London.
Kate is not attending the service, but is understood to have a private appointment.
Athena Stavrou 11 March 2024 14:32
3 hours ago Everything ‘wrong’ with Kate Middleton’s Mother’s Day photo
A family photo released for Mother’s Day is at the centre of a royal row sparked over concerns it had been ‘manipulated’.
The image, of Kate Middleton and her three children, was released on Sunday but then pulled by news agencies after apparent errors in the image were spotted.
Initially, the palace refused to comment, but on Monday the Princess of Wales apologised as she admitted to editing what was the first official picture of her since she underwent abdominal surgery in January.
Below, my colleague Tara Cobham has complied every part of the photo that has raised concerns:
Everything ‘wrong’ with Kate Middleton’s Mother’s Day photo Princess of Wales has now personally apologised as she admitted to editing the picture
Athena Stavrou 11 March 2024 14:08
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1/ 1Kate pictured leaving Windsor after apology over edited photo
Kate pictured leaving Windsor after apology over edited photo
The first picture of the Princess of Wales after her surgery has been pulled by major picture agencies over fears it has been manipulated
Prince of Wales
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