By: Natasha Archary

A possibly “fake” image of Kate Middleton, issued by Kensington Palace on Sunday, 10 March has further fueled concern over her whereabouts.
The Princess of Wales sparked an online frenzy earlier this month when social media was buzzing with conspiracy theories over why she hasn’t been seen in public since December 2023.
While the Palace said it was clear about the timeline for the Princesses’ recovery after she reportedly underwent abdominal surgery in January 2024, some are not convinced and believe Kate Middleton has decided to divorce her husband Prince William, due to numerous cheating scandals on his part.
On Sunday, 10 March on what is the day the UK celebrates Mother’s Day, Kensington Palace shared an image of Kate and her 3 children, Princes George and Louis, with their sister Princess Charlotte.
At first glance the image looks like a cute tribute picture of the Princess of Wales with her kids, seemingly taken by the heir to the British throne and Kate’s husband, Prince William.
However, within hours of the Palace releasing the picture, several UK news agencies retracted it citing a number of digital alterations.
Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months.
Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day. C
📸 The Prince of Wales, 2024 pic.twitter.com/6DywGBpLLQ
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 10, 2024
The most noticeable edits are Charlotte’s sleeve, and Kate’s blurry hand holding onto Louis.
Before long, the Associated Press (AP) put a “photo kill” order on the picture after it found several digital manipulations. This sent a ripple through British media, and apart from AP, Rueters, Getty Images, and AFP also retracted the image from its platform.
“Changes in density, contrast, color and saturation levels that substantially alter the original scene are not acceptable. Backgrounds should not be digitally blurred or eliminated by burning down or by aggressive toning. The removal of “red eye” from photographs is not permissible.
When AP determined the photo appeared to have been manipulated, it issued what is known as a “photo kill,” an industry term that retracted the image and instructed clients to remove the photo from their systems.
At closer inspection it appears that the source has manipulated the image. No replacement photo will be sent.”
Associated Press explained why the image of Kate Middleton with her kids was pulled
A graphic designer took to X to highlight a number of digital alterations.
Kensington Palace has not responded to speculation about the authenticity of their image.
As a graphic designer I’m compelled to post this. Pic was removed by English press. Lies about why. It’s VERY badly edited, photoshopped, etc. This is what I found in under 60 seconds. #KateMiddleton pic.twitter.com/3CoUwCVGTb
— yes it’s becky 💛 (@kcginger13) March 11, 2024
Also read: Ramaphosa slams DA over letter to US asking for help over elections in May



