Royalty thread #15: A New Era

[Vagabond]

Resistance is futile.

 

[MLIS]

I would think that publicity photos like this, vs a photo of a news event, are manipulated all the time. It was released by her family so it is the image they wanted to release.

So it seems odd to me that news agencies are making such a public thing of the photo being removed from "wires" and discussing that it was manipulated.

Yeah, any photo released like this is going to be touched up, at the very least. There was rumbling about photoshop errors in their Christmas card photo, Louis was missing a finger or something. So it’s got to be something more serious than a heavy hand in the photo editor. But it was released by KP, so it must be authorized? So weird.

 

[Amy L]

I used to be very active on LiveJournal and do a lot of fan edits in the early 00s I've never accidentally chopped off a hand, hire me KP!

 

[MacMadame]

They need to get a photo of her holding up a newspaper with the date on it.

Yeah, there was nothing in the post that said that the photo was taken right before it's release. It's just a nice picture of the family for Mother's Day. (That does show signs of inept photoshopping.) It could have been taken any time this year.

 

[PRlady]

It’s rare that AP Photo refuses a photo like this for photoshopping, although there’s a long list of errors including the twisted fingers and Charlotte’s shoes and the airbrushed hair etc.

https://x.com/pgourevitch/status/1767016487460479087?s=46&t=9ftgyoBTKejM44oWnhroXA

 

[alexikeguchi]

They need to get a photo of her holding up a newspaper with the date on it.

Yes to this. My first thought when I saw this picture was that the foliage in the background looked overly lush for the UK in March.

 

[canbelto]

Well I did notice she is wearing a very dark sweater as well as what seems to be a dark fleece hoodie. It's not typical stuff she wears. But it does hide the abdomen area well. And the way the kids are placed around her sort of hides the abdomen area too.

I don't like her but I do empathize with anyone having to recover from abdominal surgery. I had it maybe 14 years ago and it was a very slow, painful recovery.

And I love Charlotte. She has so much expression and personality.

 

[Vagabond]

First post-op photo of Princess of Wales withdrawn due to ‘manipulation’

Picture agencies issue ‘kill notice’ after editing error of the image of Catherine with her children comes to light

www.theguardian.com

“At closer inspection, it appears that the source has manipulated the image,” the AP notice said. A spokesperson for AP told the Telegraph: “The photo shows an inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte’s left hand.”

The truth is out there.

 

[once_upon]

First post-op photo of Princess of Wales withdrawn due to ‘manipulation’

Picture agencies issue ‘kill notice’ after editing error of the image of Catherine with her children comes to light

www.theguardian.com

The truth is out there.

Oh dear, you may be accused of something.

 

[Cachoo]

They need to get a photo of her holding up a newspaper with the date on it.

I always think of “proof of life” photos in Honduras or El Salvador. UK? Hhhhmmm

 

[Lynn226]

KP fumbled the ball in the effort to protect Kate's privacy. Ironically, she may have to reveal more than she would have otherwise if KP doesn't course correct soon.

I don't think anyone would accept just a dated photo with a newspaper or otherwise unless it is taken by a member of the royal rota.

We'll see what today brings.

 

[MacMadame]

Ironically, she may have to reveal more than she would have otherwise if KP doesn't course correct soon.

Why?

If I were advising her, I'd tell her to wait it out and go out in public when she's ready and not before. Nobody needs to know her medical details and once she's better and resuming her royal duties, this will all blow over.

 

[Bunny Hop]

I don’t get the conspiracy theories. I have no doubt she had major abdominal surgery. The only thing that could be asked what was it, which really is nobody else's business.

This. Am I curious about the surgery? Yes, that's a human thing. But still doesn't mean it's any of my business and I really wish people would leave the poor woman alone to recover.

I don't buy any 'in the public interest' arguments either. Assuming there is no ongoing issue which will affect her future duties then the public doesn't need to know.

So it seems odd to me that news agencies are making such a public thing of the photo being removed from "wires" and discussing that it was manipulated.

I find it particularly odd and somewhat hypcritical because it's not like photos in the press aren't sometimes manipulated.

Why?

Was about to say the same.

If I were advising her, I'd tell her to wait it out and go out in public when she's ready and not before. Nobody needs to know her medical details and once she's better and resuming her royal duties, this will all blow over.

Agreed. It will perhaps become a short paragraph in some future sensationalist biography, but that's about it.

 

[MsZem]

I don't buy any 'in the public interest' arguments either. Assuming there is no ongoing issue which will affect her future duties then the public doesn't need to know.

Maybe because her life is funded by the taxpayer? But this rationale would require anyone working in the public sector to disclose their private business. I don't think it's in anyone's best interest to require disclosure of medical information so broadly.

And yes, photoshopping of official pictures is hardly shocking. This isn't photojournalism.

 

[ballettmaus]

I think even those who work in the public sector and receive a salary funded by taxpayers have a right to keep the details of their medical procedures private. She disclosed that she was going to have surgery, disclosed when she was going home and when she would return to public engagements. Taxpayer funded salary or not, I that is all that she owes the public; further details aren't really going to make a difference when it comes to her ability to execute her public duties.

(And sure, I wonder what kind of surgery she had, too, But like Bunny Hop said, it's human nature and it doesn't mean that I think it's my or the public's business).

 

[airgelaal]

To be honest, this story seems like a game to me. We all remember how much controversy there was after the Christmas photo. And now they publish the photo knowing it will cause even more conversations? Moreover, news outlets are making statements that make the photo even more controversial. It seems to me that both sides knew what they were doing and did it together.
Why? Don't know.

 

[canbelto]

So they responded in their IG stories.

Princess Catherine Apologizes, Saying She Edited Image

A Mother’s Day portrait of Catherine, Princess of Wales, with her three children was withdrawn by several news agencies on Sunday over concerns it had been digitally altered.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Sylvia]

Loading…

x.com

“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. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C”

Kate, Princess of Wales, apologizes for editing family photo that fueled rumors about her health

In a post on social media, Kate said that “like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.”

apnews.com

 

[Vagabond]

So, are we ready to discuss the implications of the princess's editing her husband's work, or do we need to discuss conspiracy theories first?

 

[allezfred]

PML at Kate on her PC tinkering with family photos for the Royals socials.

 

[Lynn226]

Why?

If I were advising her, I'd tell her to wait it out and go out in public when she's ready and not before. Nobody needs to know her medical details and once she's better and resuming her royal duties, this will all blow over.

I agree she has a right to privacy and to not be seen.

I also think compared to the information she shared concerning her extreme morning sickness, it's a higher level of privacy than she has demanded before and it feeds the tin foil hat brigade.

And now we know she feels well enough to exit photos.

https://www.npr.org/2024/03/11/1237413938/kate-middleton-photo-edited

 

[skategal]

Wow so she is still willing to have herself thrown under the bus for KP staff and Will.

I’m more inclined to think Kate had very little to do with this mess and has been pressured to make this statement.

 

[canbelto]

So I hopped onto Twitter and wow the conspiracy theories are wild.

 

[Vagabond]

So I hopped onto Twitter and wow the conspiracy theories are wild.

 

[skategal]

The only conspiracy theory that makes any sense to me is that there is marital issues happening (in addition to health issues) and Kate is playing hardball with KP/Will to negotiate a potential settlement.

Anyway I hope she recovers soon and is doing well.

I’m not a fan of how the BRF eats up and spits out the spouses.

 

[MsZem]

I also think compared to the information she shared concerning her extreme morning sickness, it's a higher level of privacy than she has demanded before and it feeds the tin foil hat brigade.

IIRC she shared her diagnosis when she was pregnant with George because she had to be hospitalized and it forced them to announce the pregnancy pretty early.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

None of the conspiracy theories make any sense to me. I don't see any reason to think there's something dark going on.

 

[canbelto]

The most common conspiracy theory on twitter is that she's dead. The other one is that she had a botched plastic surgery.

 

[Karen-W]

The most common conspiracy theory on twitter is that she's dead. The other one is that she had a botched plastic surgery.

Well, if she's dead then who was that woman in the car with William as he left Windsor today?

I'm sure there will be wild body double conspiracies since it's hard to see Kate's face and she was dropped off somewhere along the route from Windsor to Westminster Abbey where William arrived alone for the Commonwealth Service.

 

[Parsley Sage]

Some in the media are saying that W&K should have allowed an independent press photographer into their home to take the picture (of a woman recovering from major surgery who said she would be away from duties until after Easter)