Kate Middleton had not been seen since Christmas Day—except for the TMZ paparazzi picture—until this weekend. For Mother’s Day, the Prince and Princess of Wales released a photo of Kate with her three children, and it appeared as if she was doing well.
However, what followed was not what the palace had wanted. On social media, users found strange errors in the picture, and experts claimed it was photoshopped. The conspiracy theories surrounding Kate are only growing following the botched image edits, and it didn’t take long before the princess commented on it.
The drama surrounding the picture has left William and Kate in a very tough situation. Let’s take a closer look at what experts in the field found strange about it.
In recent weeks, conspiracy theories about where Kate Middleton is, how she is doing, and all sorts of things have come to light on the internet. The fact that the princess hadn’t been seen since Christmas Day – and no picture of her had been published by Kensington Palace – left many royal fans to believe that there was something The Firm had been hiding.
Kate Middleton health rumors – paparazzi picture of her raises questions
TMZ published a paparazzi picture of Kate sitting in a car with her mother, Carole Middleton, in Windsor a few weeks ago, but it did little to quell the rumors about how the Princess of Wales was doing. In fact, it only seemed to fuel them.
There have been whispers that Kate possibly wanted her picture taken as she sat in the car. However, according to Christopher Andersen, author of The King, it was “definitely” not staged.
“She was trying to sneak out of Windsor with her mother and was clearly not pleased that they had been spotted by a photographer,” Andersen told Fox. “This cloak-and-dagger stuff is only going to fuel more speculation about what’s really going on with Kate and with her father-in-law, King Charles.”
He added, “In its typically smug fashion, the palace issued a statement last week insisting that everything was going according to plan. They never explained, however, why Kate spent weeks in the hospital after ‘planned abdominal surgery’ and has needed to remain closeted away for months. It’s all been terribly fishy from the get-go.”
On Sunday, on Mother’s Day, Kensington Palace finally released a picture of Kate. The Princess of Wales is seen sitting on a patio surrounded by her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, which many took as a sign that she was doing well following her surgery in January.
Kate Middleton – new picture with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis
“Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day,” the caption on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ official Instagram account read. It was signed “C,” meaning Kate herself had written it.
At first, royal fans were filled with joy. The picture was sent to global news agencies, and many sent Kate their best wishes.
Royal historian Kate William told CNN that she believes Kensington Palace released the picture of Kate to “stop the speculation” while she recovers in private.
“They [Kensington Palace] are trying to send a clear message to both the public and the press to respect Kate’s privacy on this medical matter,” Williams said. “What they’re trying to say is Kate is recovering, she’s fine, no more worries, no more panic, no more speculation.”
The royal historian added: “I think the last thing they [Kensington Palace] want is for her to feel she can’t go out and walk in case she’s going to be photographed.”
In the comment section. However, it took only hours before everything had changed.
On social media, photography and picture-editing experts quickly began questioning the picture’s authenticity. Many details appeared to have been manipulated, with some being more clear than others.
Fans accuse new picture of Kate Middleton of be manipulated – gruesome errors revealed
“Professional photographer here. Look closely at Princess Charlotte’s wrist. This is what happens when you composite layers in Photoshop. I’m not speculating on why the photo was edited like this, but it’s weird,” portrait photographer Martin Bamford wrote.
There were several significant details social media users became obsessed with analyzing, including Charlotte’s half-missing sleeve and blurred skirt and Kate’s misplaced zip.
Charlotte’s knee—as well as Kate Middleton’s hand around Louis—was “blurry,” and her wrist and jumper sleeve were accused of being manipulated.
Some social media users claimed that “editing fails,” including Kate’s left hand not having a wedding ring and even her chin being photoshopped.
“The more you look at this, the worse it gets. the hands, the fact some parts are so blurry and some so sharp, the way Charlotte is apparently balancing in that position, there is literally a crease in the step, the reflection in the window doesn’t match,” one user wrote.
“Not really kept up with this whole conspiracy theory, but this photo is SOO DODGY two of their hands look very weird as if they’re AI generated, and the girls arm has 100% been photoshopped and her skirt also looks weird as f— as well?” another user added, continuing, “but if it’s a real photo – *why* would they edit it so much and so badly? they’re not stupid they would’ve seen all the rumours going about, releasing an awfully edited photo only fuels them.”
News agency says “source has manipulated the image”
It didn’t take long before news agencies began investigating the picture. The Associated Press, Reuters, Getty Images, and Agence France-Presse all decided to issue “kill notices,” which are advisory notices to remove or not use a specific photo.
“It appears that the source has manipulated the image,” the Associated Press notification read.
They also released a statement, saying, “The Associated Press initially published the photo, which was issued by Kensington Palace. The AP later retracted the image because at closer inspection, it appears that the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet AP’s photo standards. The photo shows an inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte’s left hand.”
Speaking to GB News, Dr Hany Farid, a professor of computer sciences, said the work on Princess Charlotte’s sleeve looked like a “bad Photoshop job.”
“I clearly see what is being referenced here, with respect to her sleeve. It looks like a bad Photoshop job. I know we talk a lot about AI lately but it is still possible to use traditional photo-editing tools,” Farid said.
The professor added, “What you would be worried about here is if Kate wasn’t in this photo and had been digitally inserted. This would be a dramatic manipulation.”
The fact that Kate Middleton’s wedding ring wasn’t visible in the picture further fueled speculation about something being hidden from the public. But according to Kensington Palace, there was a reason for that.
Kate Middleton issues apology – reveals she edited photo herself
Speaking to ITV News, Kate’s office responded that she wasn’t wearing the ring because she was “at home” when the photo was taken, and dismissed speculations about her marriage with William by stating, “It was her husband who took the photo.”
Initially, Kensington Palace decided not to comment on the alleged manipulation of the Kate photo. However, on Monday morning, Kate Middleton took to the Prince and Princess of Wales’ official X account to explain what had happened.
The image was indeed edited – and Kate had done it.
“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,” the post read.
Meanwhile, as per Express, Kensington Palace has confirmed it “would not be reissuing the original unedited photograph of Kate and her children.”
Speaking to GB News, royal expert Katie Nicholl stated that Kensington Palace will now be under much pressure.
“What’s so major in all of this is that four international picture agencies have killed this image. That’s really rare,” Nicholl said.
“I can’t think of a a time since I’ve been doing this job for the best part of 15 years where a royal image has been recalled. So that’s highly unusual. It might force Kensington Palace’s hand.”
The conspiracy theories surrounding Kate Middleton, her marriage to William, and how she really is doing after the “planned” abdominal surgery have been ongoing for weeks. The manipulated picture didn’t improve things, but at least Kate has spoken out about it now.
Adriana Lima Stuns with Her ‘Healthier’ Body on the Runway
The Brazilian supermodel made a comeback on the runway at the age of 43, showing off her “slim” body transformation for the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
Adriana Lima’s appearance at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on October 15, 2024, was one of the best moments of the night. After retiring in 2018, after nearly 20 years with the lingerie brand, and having her third child in 2022, she amazed the crowd with her new look, which fans quickly noticed and praised.
Lima first shared her retirement in 2018 at the age of 37. In an Instagram post, which she has since deleted, she reflected on her long time with the brand. “Dear Victoria, thank you for showing me the world, sharing your secrets, and most importantly not just giving me wings but teaching me to fly,” she wrote.
When talking about her last walk, Lima told People, “This has been my 18th fashion show, and I am still as excited as I was from the first day. I think this year is going to be the highlight of my career.”
After leaving modeling, she was only seen at some events and on social media. In a TikTok video from February 2022, Lima shared that she was pregnant with her third child, her first with partner Andre Lemmers.
By April, the couple released a gender reveal video, announcing that a boy would join Lima’s daughters from her previous marriage, Valentina and Sienna. Her son, Cyan, was born in August 2022.
During her pregnancy, the retired supermodel looked amazing in stylish maternity outfits at important events, like the 75th Cannes Film Festival in May 2022. Wearing a mustard gown from Nicolas Jebran, she proudly showed off her baby bump on the red carpet, and while she looked great, it was different from her usual slimmer figure.
Fast forward to 2023, Lima attended the Venice International Film Festival in a Pinko gown with a plunging neckline and gold accents. At this event, her fuller face and body were still noticeable.
A few months later, the supermodel went to the Mon Cheri Barbara Tag event in Munich, Germany, in December 2023. She wore a form-fitting gray gown by Donna Karan and looked like she was losing her previous weight.
However, her October 2024 runway appearance showed her full transformation. During the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Brooklyn, Lima wowed the crowd not just with her outfits but also with her youthful appearance. A backstage photo captured her glowing skin and tight facial features.
Once ready, Lima hit the runway wearing a checker-striped outfit with a black bra and high-waisted pants, topped with a long-sleeved cut-out top for her first look. Her grunge-style angel wings added a cool touch to the outfit.
For her second appearance, she wore a red lace nightie with sparkling wings that showcased her renewed energy. This moment reminded everyone of her younger days as an angel for the brand, and fans quickly expressed their admiration for her physical change on social media.
One fan said, “She’s lost so much weight. She’s back .” Another wrote, “SHE LOOKS GREAT HER SLIM BODY IS BACK. GREAT JOB. I LIKE THIS OUTFIT TOO.”
Kiya Cole, the mother of actress Skai Jackson, added, “She worked hard in the gym this past year! I was a witness. No quick fix for her!” Another commenter expressed, “She is back with a vengeance, love her.”
Fans were also happy to see the show featuring a variety of healthier bodies, like Lima’s. One commented, “These bodies look healthier, and I like that, in different sizes but healthy, good for VS.”
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