After having been out of the public eye since mid-January, Kate Middleton has fueled new speculation about her whereabouts when Kensington Palace issued a family photo for U.K. Mother’s Day on Sunday.
Kensington Palace posted the photograph of the Princess of Wales with her three children (Prince George, 10; Princess Charlotte, 8; and Prince Louis, 5). This was the first photo she had released of herself and her family since undergoing surgery in January. The photo, posted on X and Instagram, was also issued by the major news wire services.
But they all quickly yanked the image, issuing “kill notices” to its customers.
“AP retracted it because closer inspection revealed the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet AP’s photo standards,” the Associated Press noted. “For instance, the photo shows an inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte’s left hand.” Getty Images, AFP, and Reuters also pulled the image, noting the same left-hand alignment.
While the AP didn’t call it AI manipulation, it’s caused concern among public relations, communications, and journalism professionals about the power this nascent technology can have.
“In today’s digital era where AI can seamlessly manipulate visuals, the scrutiny faced by Kate Middleton’s image just highlights the complexities of maintaining authenticity and credibility in the media and what people or organizations put out to the world under scrutiny,” Rebecca May, founder of London-based public relations firm RM Publicity, tells Fortune. It also “signals a turning point in the wider public doubting what they see.”
Especially coming from an institution recognized worldwide and “trusted family, it naturally raises concerns in the future of trusting authoritative organizations and institutions,” May says.
Issues with the released image
On Monday, Britain’s national news agency, PA, said it was also withdrawing the photo. PA said it had asked Kensington Palace for clarification about the image and “in the absence of that clarification, we are killing the image from our picture service.”
On closer inspection, Princess Charlotte’s left hand appears to jut out of her sleeve at an unnatural angle. Online commentators also noted some potential manipulation around the children’s hair and hands, as well as Kate’s lack of wedding and engagement rings.
Shortly afterward, Kate, 42, personally apologized for the…
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