The photo, released by Kensington Palace, is the first official image of the Princess of Wales since her abdominal surgery in January. The palace published it on the X platform (formerly Twitter) on Sunday to mark British Mother’s Day. It was rebroadcast by several international news agencies.
As the American agency Associated Press (AP) announced this evening, after a detailed investigation it concluded that the source appeared to have been manipulated “in a manner that does not meet AP photography standards. The photo shows an inconsistency in the image of Princess Charlotte’s left hand, according to AP’s reasoning for its withdrawal. Reuters also retracted the image.
In contrast to the AP, the British news agency PA, whose German news agency also took the photo, initially decided not to withdraw the photo. However, a spokesperson said Kensington Palace had been urgently asked for clarification. At Kensington Palace no one was initially available to answer a dpa question. A written request for comment initially went unanswered. The data protection authority will continue to seek clarification.
What was actually intended as relief after weeks of speculation about Kate’s health is now threatening to become a PR disaster. Alongside the photo in Monday’s edition, the Daily Telegraph headlined, “Palace photo manipulated, agencies say.”
The photo shows Kate sitting on a lawn chair on a porch, surrounded by her children. She placed her feet crossed on the ground in front of her. Her arms are wrapped around the waist of her two younger children, Princess Charlotte (8) and Prince Louis (5), who can be seen to her left and right. Charlotte sat down with one leg on the armrest. Her eldest son Prince George (10) can be seen behind Kate. Kate laughs, the children seem very happy.
The palace’s X page read: “Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the past two months. Wish everyone a happy Mother’s Day.” The text is signed with a C for Catherine – a sign that she wrote the text herself. The photo was taken by Prince William (41), the message says. (sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
