In a recent revelation, Getty Images, a prominent picture agency with clients like Newsweek, disclosed that a photograph of Queen Elizabeth II with her children was digitally enhanced before its release. This portrait, meant to commemorate what would have been Elizabeth's 97th birthday in April 2023, was issued by Kensington Palace. Interestingly, this news comes in the wake of another incident involving Kate Middleton and her children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. On British Mother's Day, a highly anticipated image of Kate with her kids was withheld by four international picture agencies, including Getty, due to concerns over manipulation. This move was prompted by numerous signs of tampering found in the image.
The photograph in question, taken by Kate herself, now includes an "editor's note" warning from Getty, stating that it was digitally enhanced at the source. The original caption, crediting the photograph to The Princess of Wales, has also been highlighted. This particular image captured Queen Elizabeth II with some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren during a summer visit to Balmoral in 2022. The picture features Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, James, Earl of Wessex, Lena Tindall, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Isla Phillips, Prince Louis, Mia Tindall holding Lucas Tindall, and Savannah Phillips.
Kate's involvement in editing photographs was previously acknowledged in a statement on X, though it was only addressed after picture agencies had taken action. In her message, she expressed regret for any confusion caused by the family photograph and wished everyone a happy Mother's Day. This incident has been a topic of discussion, with Richard Kay, a former close friend of Princess Diana, writing in the Daily Mail about the underlying tensions within the royal family and the challenges faced by the institution.
He highlighted a recent event where Prince Andrew and his ex-wife were seen in public, leading to criticisms and disbelief. The royal family's public image has faced scrutiny, with Kay suggesting that such crises are becoming more frequent. Despite this, there is still hope for the royal image to recover, but the recent events have undoubtedly had an impact.
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