And the royal plot thickens… Reports of yet another photoshop fail in Buckingham Palace have elicited more controversy. This time, it is an older photograph taken of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry‘s child that was flagged for being digitally enhanced. Meanwhile, Kate Middleton has been embroiled in a major security breach.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s firstborn, Prince Archie, is the latest member of the British royal family to find himself entangled in the photo manipulation saga.
The picture in question, taken by fashion photographer Chris Allerton, was released after Archie’s christening on July 6, 2019, showing the two-month-old with Meghan, Prince Harry, King Charles, Camilla, William, Kate, Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland, and Princess Diana’s sisters.
Global picture agency Getty reportedly said the portrait had been “digitally enhanced.” However, it is unclear why when it shows no signs of any obvious discrepancies. Bored Panda has since been unable to find the picture on Getty’s website.
On Tuesday (March 19), Chris reportedly denied manipulating the image. He told the Daily Mail: “Load of cobblers. Bye.”
Chris further stressed that his photograph had “not been manipulated” and thanked the British tabloid for bringing it to his attention that Getty had added an “editor’s note” to his image.
He said: “I have contacted the Getty Editorial Team to request clarification.”
As per the Daily Mail, the photographer recalled his portrait had only needed “the very minimal tuning” to its tone and exposure, as he had meticulously prepared his camera and lighting settings prior to the royals arriving, so all that remained was to concentrate on “capturing a relaxed and pleasing moment, quickly and efficiently for them.”
Just yesterday, it was reported that the late Queen Elizabeth II appeared in a manipulated photo with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, which was taken by Kate Middleton.
A spokesperson for Getty told The Telegraph: “Getty Images has reviewed the image in question and placed an editor’s note on it, stating that the image has been digitally enhanced at source.”
Image credits: MEGA/Vida Press
The Photoshop blunder comes with reports that Kate Middleton’s hospital is currently embroiled in a security scandal, as staff allegedly attempted to access her private medical records without permission.
Bosses of The London Clinic, where the Princess of Wales underwent planned abdominal surgery in January, launched an investigation after it was claimed at least one member of staff tried to access the royal’s notes, the Daily Mail reported.
A source at the hospital told the British tabloid: “This is a major security breach and incredibly damaging for the hospital, given its unblemished reputation for treating members of the Royal Family.
“Senior hospital bosses contacted Kensington Palace immediately after the incident was brought to their attention and assured the palace there would be a full investigation.
“The whole medical staff have been left utterly shocked and distraught over the allegations and were very hurt that a trusted colleague could have allegedly been responsible for such a breach of trust and ethics.”
Kate previously acknowledged altering a photo of herself and her children for Mother’s Day, offering a personal apology
The 42-year-old princess is now reportedly aware of the alleged incident, and a spokesperson for Kensington Palace said: “This is a matter for the London Clinic.”
An Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) spokesperson told the Daily Mail: “We can confirm that we have received a breach report and are assessing the information provided.”
The security breach incident follows growing concerns for the princess, as many believed she had not been seen since January 2024, when Kate underwent abdominal surgery due to an undisclosed medical condition that reportedly did not involve cancer.
And last month, conspiracy theories continued to feed the “Kategate” internet phenomenon after the princess acknowledged altering a photo of herself and her children for Mother’s Day, offering a personal apology for any misunderstanding after allegations of digital manipulation.
Many people have also expressed their lack of trust in claims that Kate was recently spotted, with TMZ releasing footage of the princess and Prince William on Saturday (March 16) while they were visiting the Windsor Farm Shop located about a mile from their home in Windsor.
The new accusation of photo manipulation sparked more concerns
