The Scoop: Princess Catherine apologizes after doctored photo is removed from wire services

What started as a family photo shared to commemorate Mother’s Day has become a controversy that fans the flames of what many see as a larger Royal mystery.

Kensington Palace, the entity that handles the press for the Prince and Princess of Wales, shared an innocuous seeming photo with wire services Sunday. In it, Princess Catherine is seen smiling with her three children. It was also shared on Instagram with a caption marking Mother’s Day, which was observed Sunday in the U.K.

But hours later, news outlets including the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse sent advisories urging news outlets to remove the photos, as they appeared to have been doctored.

“At closer inspection, it appears that the source has manipulated the image. No replacement image will be sent,” the AP wrote in its “kill notification, the New York Times reported, including a note to “Please remove it from all platforms, including social, where it may still be visible.”

Multiple photo agencies, including Reuters and AP, have pulled a new image of Kate Middleton from circulation over concerns that it has been “manipulated”https://t.co/rugFlBYHuI pic.twitter.com/rLfiWj7VJ7

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) March 10, 2024

Specifically, Princess Charlotte’s hand appeared to have been moved, among other minor inconsistencies. While minor editing, such as cropping and photo correction, is generally allowed in wire service photos, this was a bridge too far.

The kill notification set social media aflame. Middleton has been largely out of the public eye since she had abdominal surgery in January. The photo, intended to show Catherine well and happy, was now a source of mystery.

Hours later, the princess posted an apology on X. “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.” The post is signed with “C,” which signifies that the message was authored by the princess herself.

Why it matters: Anything the royal family does will be intensely scrutinized, both in the U.K. and around the world. A miscommunication occurred between the family and their press office around what standards are acceptable for Instagram versus what will fly with international wire services. At a time when Princess Catherine has been kept out of the public eye, with wild speculation swirling, it all adds to a public relations fire. The palace’s failure to properly vet the photo, along with its slow response, allowed those flames to grow even higher.

Was this an innocent mistake from a frazzled mum recovering from surgery and trying to make her family look their best? An intentional move to conceal or hide something from the public? We don’t know, but everyone will speculate.

Let this be a reminder to work closely with your principals and clients on what standards work for the press and what’s OK for social media. If they submit a photograph, ensure you’re asking questions about who took it, how it was altered and if there’s anything else you need to know.

Editor’s Top Picks:

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Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on X or LinkedIn.