Kate’s photo should have quelled the rumors. Editing it has done exactly the opposite

The image of a smiling Catherine, Princess of Wales, flanked by her three children, should have put a stop to the explosion of speculation over her health and whereabouts. Instead, it triggered a whole new controversy for Britain’s royal family after multiple global news agencies recalled the image from circulation hours later, citing manipulation concerns.

The image of a smiling Catherine, Princess of Wales, flanked by her three children, should have put a stop to the explosion of speculation over her health and whereabouts. Instead, it triggered a whole new controversy for Britain’s royal family after multiple global news agencies recalled the image from circulation hours later, citing manipulation concerns. The photograph was released by Kensington Palace early Sunday on the couple’s official social media accounts, to mark Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom. As is standard practice for official UK royal photographs, it was also released concurrently to news and photo agencies for distribution. It showed Kate surrounded by Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis relaxed and laughing – perhaps sparked by something from Prince William, who was credited with taking the photo. On Monday morning, after the storm broke, Kate issued a personal apology, taking responsibility for the confusion she said she had inadvertently caused. “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,” she wrote before ending her post with a “C” for Catherine. The family mark the celebration each year, but the touching photograph was also seen as a message to the nation and ought to have eased growing public concern following Kate’s surgery in January for a noncancerous abdominal issue.