LONDON: A photo, believed to be taken by Kate Middleton, of Queen Elizabeth II with her grandchildren has turned out to be photoshopped. The photograph has sparked controversy after it was revealed to be digitally altered.
The image, captured in April 2022, was not released by Buckingham Palace until April 21, 2023, on what would have been the late Queen’s 97th birthday.
In the photo, the Queen is surrounded by 10 of her grandchildren, notably missing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s children, Archie and Lilibet.
Several irregularities in the image have been identified, including distortions in the pattern of the Queen’s dress, a strip of color near Prince Louis, and a black space next to Prince George’s face where his cousin’s dress should be.
In a new editor’s note, Getty Images has acknowledged that the image “has been digitally enhanced at source” after reevaluating older pictures provided by the Royal Family.
This revelation follows a similar incident involving a Mother’s Day photo of the Princess of Wales, which was also found to be photoshopped. Major image libraries subsequently issued “kill” orders for the image’s removal.
Kate Middleton issued an apology for the “confusion” caused by the altered photo, which fueled speculation about her health and marriage to Prince William.
The discovery of another digitally altered image has raised questions about the authenticity of royal family photographs and the potential implications for public perception.
