Sometimes a picture is truly worth a thousand words, isn't it? In the first official photo release of the Princess of Wales since she underwent abdominal surgery in January, Kate is pictured outside Adelaide Cottage with George, Charlotte and Louis in a relaxed photo taken by Prince William last week to mark Mother's Day.
Often times when royal images are released, the finer technical points are closely inspected. Not this time, though. I think we're all just incredibly pleased to see Kate smiling, surrounded by her children, as she continues her recovery. A paparazzi image of Kate with her mum Carole Middleton circulated last week. It followed weeks of relentless, absurd, ridiculous and often cruel speculation on social media. There was a growing sense of pressure in the mainstream media too, sending a signal to Kensington Palace that perhaps something more needed to be done or said to quell the ever-growing circus. Whilst I don't believe it was initially the plan, releasing a photo to mark Mother's Day and thanking the public for their support will hit the right note to calm the brewing storm.
Later this month, George, Charlotte and Louis will begin a month-long Easter break from Lambrook. I imagine the plan is to decamp to Norfolk and spend the time at Anmer Hall. Until then, Kate will continue to recuperate at Windsor. In terms of a return to royal engagements, I don't believe anything is set in stone, and when she is well enough to return, it will likely be on a gradual basis.
It is wonderful to see Kate on the mend. I imagine it's been a very difficult and trying couple of months. Resuming "normal life" again will be a step-by-step process.
On that note, I want to thank you for your kind thoughts and messages as I continue my own recovery. A very Happy Mother's Day to all celebrating :)
She looks divine. Happy, healthy, serene. The children look lovely and sweet. I'm absolutely thrilled to see this photo. Charlotte, best wishes for your continued recovery!
ReplyDeleteThe timing is perfect! I was a bit surprised K hadn’t issued a “thank you for your good wishes” kind of statement before now but this works, nothing forced as it’s for Mothers Day. I’m very glad to see K seems well- celticgirl
ReplyDeleteThis is my favorite Mother's Day photo. It's the most natural and the smiles genuine.
ReplyDeleteQuel plaisir de la voir, tout sourire !
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photo. Hopefully that will help to quell some of the chatter. She looks lovely and relaxed.
ReplyDeleteSo happy to see this post, and that you are back Charlotte. You were missed❤️
This is a lovely photo and because Prince William took it, they all look so relaxed. Charlotte, I hope you are getting better each day. Sending you a hug from sunny Florida, all the way “across the pond” .
ReplyDeleteThis is causing quite the stir. Evidently several publications are pulling this photo as it has been “overly manipulated”. I’m not sure if this was meant to be a recent photo or not, but the leaves on the trees seem a bit off for this time of year.
ReplyDeleteIn any event, wishing the Princess well.
Many plants have green leaves in UK throughout winter
DeleteJust heard on USA news that the photo has been pulled by the palace. Not really understanding all of the reason, but something about the photo is not real or photoshopped? They say Charlotte’s left hand placement is not normal and mentioned something about being altered, adding that the palace insists the photo was taken by William earlier this week, but pulled in UK over the comments. Can anyone enlighten us on what is considered wrong with the photo? I think it is sweet. They could have posted an older photo & we would have been thrilled to see her. Missouri Gal
ReplyDeleteIf you look closely, you can see the patio by Princess Charlotte’s boot is very odd and appears to be in front of the boot. The sleeve of her jumper is also weird and looks photoshopped or manipulated. I don’t know if the photo is entirely fake, I doubt that, but it was edited rather poorly in places.
Delete“Kill notice” by AP, Reuters and others. They say they’ve reviewed the image and determined that it was manipulated by the source, ie Kensington Palace. No comment by the Palace as of yet.
DeleteI don’t live in the UK, but seems odd to have green grass and full leaves at the start of March. I don’t want to believe it’s fake, but it looks to be a photo take in the autumn if not entirely AI generated.
DeleteAt first glance, it looks like a lovely family photo, but there was something about it that looked odd. At first, I thought it was the absence of Kate’s wedding ring that made me think it seemed like an odd choice for a photo that might be meant, in part, to quell speculation that something is amiss in Kate’s recovery.
DeleteI Now that I’ve read it was “killed,” I can really see issues, mainly with the image of Charlotte. Her right hand doesn’t align with the edge of her sleeve, there’s a weird cutaway with the foot that’s tucked behind her front and on her right side, the bottom of her jumper doesn’t line up with her skirt. There’s a bit of blurriness in Kate’s left hand (around her daughter’s torso) but Charlotte’s jumper is sharply in focus.
Honestly, I think William grabbed a quick photo with his phone, and Charlotte may have been wriggling around in such a way that her part of the image didn’t look great, so they tried some photoshopping that was just a big fail.
Kate sans wedding ring is a bit baffling, given the context but maybe she’s got some residual swelling from surgery and her ring isn’t comfortable right now. (She’s occasionally been photographed without her ginormous engagement ring and it wouldn’t surprise me to know she doesn’t regularly wear it around the house). If any of us mere mortals had posted that kind of photo on Facebook, nobody would have noticed. But Royals can’t afford to be that sloppy.
I agree completely with the scenario described in your last paragraph ZZZ. It’s just too sad that we can’t be relieved to see Catherine looking well, not to mention getting a closeup, relaxed glimpse of the children. My gosh they are growing up, literally, very fast. Louis already looks taller than at Christmas. Charlotte has lost her “very young girl” look. And George looks very relaxed and confident. To me, the photo reflects that all is good for the important things. Just a nonprofessional photoshop snafu.
DeleteAlso, Kate’s right hand(on our left) by Louis is extremely blurry. Like it was edited in all together. For her hand to be that blurred, she would have had to move at the time the picture was taken, which would have altered Louis sweater as well. Also look at Louis pointer finger. It looks cut off, and no, it wouldn’t look like that naturally if he bent it backward. It’s also odd that his middle finger is over his ring finger. That isnt a natural position (like fingers crossed-pointer over middle) William admitted to “editing” “like so many do” except with this much and type of editing, it seems extremely odd. It’s one thing to smooth someone’s skin, but this much editing? Very very strange.
DeleteI realized I said “pointer over middle.” I meant “middle over pointer” lol. That is the natural position. Someone also posted a close up of her face. And it made me see that her top lip almost appears floating against her teeth. This is very strange. Why not just post a picture taken from the summer? They always post pictures from months prior? Why try to do this now? With all this editing. Also as I look closer her arms aren’t even shown. I know the kids would be blocking it, but her shoulders are completely blocked. It also looks like charlottes arm and Louis arm are almost “floating” in front of Kate’s. There is no natural shadow. It definitely looks like a mix mash of a couple pictures put together. Strange. Why? And then to publicly admit it and take it away? Not good.
DeleteCharlotte, firstly I am glad to hear that you are doing better now. What the hell is going on. That picture has been pulled from circulation over being manipulated. Catherine and the 3 kids, William took the picture according to the palace. So who changed it or thought they could get away with putting it out there. Why the need to release a manipulated picture. I'll be honest, when I saw this morning that a picture has been released I was a bit pissed off thinking she has been hounded into doing it by the press and social media which has been horrific by the way. I really don't know what to think now. For a start it's a major own goal by the palace. It's 3 weeks to Easter, did they have to release it now. Will she not be back by Easter. Why was the army made to remove the announcement that she would attend a event in June. I'm saying this as someone who 100% support's The Princess of Wales right to privacy. It's going to be very interesting to see how this plays out and the palace deal's with this latest PR mess that it created. I just hope that she is ok, Princess or not she is a young Mother of 3 children. Prince William is very easy to read, he seems to be doing good every time he has been seen lately. The Middletons have been going on holiday and seems very much business as usual. I'm taking that as a good sign that this isn't something very serious. Thanks for the update Charlotte, I will light another candle for you with a prayer for healing. S.🙂.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea, but I have looked at the photo many times & darn if I can find anything wrong or strange about it!? I just wish, oh how I wish.... people could find something else to ruminate over!! Kate has been so kind & giving of herself & her time, to the crown & the people.... Why oh Why can't she recover in peace.
DeletePlus, heaven forbid, that something is not going according to plan & she's not as well as we all would hope....... isn't that all the more reason to give her privacy & send her caring vibes!???
Anon 23:39, I forgot to add, that I too think it's a good sign that the Middleton family members are vacationing like normal!! Why oh Why do people have their knickers in a knot!?? We should be pulling "for" her, not "at" her!!
DeleteBecca, it's like this. Even if they realeaed a 5 minute video of the Princess with the children, it still wouldn't be good enough. Either too short or too long bad lighting etc. You make a very good point about her sence or duty to Crown and country. Asking for a bit of privacy to recover isn't really much to ask for. S.🙂.
DeleteBecca, I couldn’t agree more. Nicely said! By the way, I can’t find anything wrong with the photo either. ☺️ We will all see her when it’s time. In the meantime, sending good thoughts and wishes.
DeleteJoanne in CA
Hello Charlotte. I did not know you were I’ll. Wishing you a speedy recovery. I myself is in recovery from brain surgery. My surgery was in August. But my recovery will take roughly 18 months. I am in my 7th month. Still a long way to go. But I take one day at a time.
ReplyDeleteBu I do have a big question. Have any idea why Catherine is not wearing any of her rings. I can understand the engagement ring I big but her gold wedding band is thin. There are many stories on social media saying her and William are living separately and getting a divorce. I don’t believe any of it but with the missing rings it gives you something to think about.
Can you put any light on the subject.
Again wishing you a speedy recovery🙏🙏🙏
Hi OCG!:) Fellow brain surgery patient, here! Mine was a benign tumor & I was to be back to my normal life in 2months, with a total followup/full recovery of 18months.
DeleteHowever, things didn't go to plan. The tumor was benign, however it was about to herniate into my spinal cord, so they were in there 9.5 hrs to get it out carefully & fully, to save my life. As a result, I had to learn to walk & talk again.
It's been 3yrs now & it's been a bit of a rollercoaster. In fact last month was great, but this month I'm having one of my setbacks, which flares up some neurological cognitive & coordination difficulties.... I'm still expected to make a full recovery... one day at a time.
Charlotte, you have been in my thoughts & prayers! It's no fun to be dealing with a health issue, that one thinks is under control, only to have it rear its head. I'm praying that you get some positive traction & can get back to an uneventful (health wise) life!! xoxo
Orange Country Grandma and Becca, I've had several surgeries on my body, but never on my brain. Yes, recovery is difficult and I can only imagine how much harder it is after brain surgery. I am very happy for both of you, that you survived and are working at getting back to a "new normal." Charlotte, although we don't know very much about your health setback, you too are in recovery mode. Becca's statement "one day at a time" is the best way to look at it. Wishing the three of you, along with Kate good days ahead.
DeleteCharlotte, Becca, and OC Grandma (whose name I know but won't reveal here!) I am thinking of you a lot and praying for your full recovery. Like you, I don't believe there's anything wrong with Catherine not wearing her rings every day around the house. There's no evidence that a divorce is impending. Why, if they weren't getting along, would William be the one who takes a series of great pictures of his wife and children in the week of Mother's Day? Doesn't make sense, and is just another mean-spirited rumor we can ignore.
DeleteIt's too bad Catherine couldn't photoshop little Charlotte to get a "perfect" expression on everybody in the photo without causing such a silly controversy. I suspect she never thought about such a thing happening over her trying to make a "gift" for her public.
I do appreciate this community for its intrinsic kindness.
--Marci
I once did the same kind of thing with a photo of my husband and his siblings. One brother had his eyes open in only one of the many photos we took, and the expressions on the others were really terrible in that one photo. So I took his head and put it on another photo where the other siblings looked great! I cut it at the top of his plaid shirt, and the plaid didn't quite line up all the way across . . . "almost", but our family loved it anyway.
I just don't understand what is going on at this point. Am I the only one?
ReplyDeleteEC Anon
No EC Anon, you are not the only one who just doesn't understand what is going on at this point. Myself & 2 friends here with me, are looking back and forth at each other in confusion. Possibly others feel the same.
DeleteNo. You aren't the only one asking questions. This whole thing is very odd. KP needs to take classes on Responding vs Reacting. Something I am trying to teach my children.
DeletePandora
DeleteThis isn't really any of our business. At all.
DeleteYou're not the only one dear, youre not the only one. The Palace and its operations are meticulous to the highest level, they dot the i's and cross the t's.
DeleteThey've had decades of experience with the modern press, so for them to make such a blunder to the point that the most prestigious and reputable agencies are giving a kill notice and rejecting the picture is apalling, especially at such a highly senstive time.
I've heard & read that its the norm for minor touches or alterations to be made on official photos that will be viewed globally, so the agencies are not refusing to publish the picture because it was touched up here and there...they are indirectly saying and signaling that the entire premise of the picture is...pardon my strong language (fake, false or released to mislead the public) These agencies have world class experts working for them so I doubt they would stir up the pot and cause greater turmoil
just for the fun of it, if their teams didn't believe the picture was fundamentally erroneous and goes beyond the realm of a minor touch up.
I have alot of compassion for the humans behind the palace machine because my work has had me behind the scenes of high stakes PR situations, and at those times emotions are high and multiple difficult options are before you with public opinion hanging in the balance which the royals depend on to be in thier favour to rule.
Based on experience, I'm going to go out on a limb and say things are alot more chaotic behind the scenes for such missteps to spill out into the public and the condition of the Princess is more grave and serious than we are being told.
Alarming your public and your people with the full hard details being known is not what a good leader wants to do, so they must be trying their best to keep us calm and carry on. I take solace in the fact that the royal family has always overcome every difficult storm, they haven't been on the throne for over a thousand years for no reason.
We'll get to the other side and praying for grace and wisdom and peace as we the royal watchers and the family navigate through this.
Michelle, May I respectfully say that your comment, "things are alot more chaotic behind the scenes for such missteps to spill out into the public and the condition of the Princess is more grave and serious than we are being told." is exactly the kind of speculation that is leading to the rumours and conspiracy theories, that are unfair and unfounded.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteVery odd, the AP, Reuters, Getty images and Agence France-presse have declared the photo manipulated and requested it be removed from all sites. I can’t imagine why KP wouldn’t just use a real photo (I don’t buy conspiracy theories) and in the photo taken last week she is sitting in the passenger seat of a car and looks completely herself. Any which way it’s a nice pic.
ReplyDeleteI think in effort to put out the most polished, put together of photo of all four, they likely photoshopped multiple shots together to get the "best" of everyone in one photo. I bet they never dreamed it would be examined so closely. Although, in today's world, I'm surprised they didn't. As for the ring, I can imagine if she's home, healing, perhaps swelling from steroids or retaining water, her ring may be uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteIt made my day to see it & I think they may have wanted the king to have his moment thanking the people. Sue from IL
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photo of Catherine and the children.
ReplyDeleteThey really are three little cuties.
DeleteThank you Charlotte for the post. We are a strange species - love downing our own. Perhaps the explanation is as simple as the background was changed , photographers do that all the time as part of the editing process. William is not an experienced photographer and maybe does not have the skills to blurr the background. It is widely reported that that is the sort of technique used by Meghan and Harry's photographer when she was pregnant with Lilly. I also imagine the photo has been pulled because of the horrid social media commentary. I imagine there will be no more news about Catherine until she is well enough to appear in person.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte, firstly I am glad to hear that you are doing better now. What the hell is going on. That picture has been pulled from circulation over being manipulated. Catherine and the 3 kids, William took the picture What about kill notice and what about the divorce circulating online Last week paparazzi photo she completely fine
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this picture and I want it to be real and genuine. I think all 4 of them look fantastic!
ReplyDeleteDear Charlotte hope you are feeling better now? Lovely photo of Catherine and her kids. Nice to see her looking so happy and recovering well. She can't win as even with this photo there is much speculation about it. Hope she continues to recover well post surgery.
ReplyDeletePlease continue to recover, charlotte!!
ReplyDeleteKP have shot themselves in the foot with this one. Innocent mistake or not this is everywhere now.
I don't always share your views bluhare, but gotta agree, this was an absolutely unnecessary mistake. If indeed Kate was responsible, this was the 'misstep' critics have been waiting for and pounced, and while it is innocent enough, the spin is out of control. Actually, the spin was already out of control, and while I personally like the photo - I am not nuanced enough to notice the adjustments - this seemingly well intended photo was a PR blunder which seems out of character for the measured way William and Kate appear to handle their social media.
DeleteI had this huge sigh of relief when the photo became public, knowing Prince William took it sometime last week. The children look incredibly happy surrounding their adoring mother. Kate though happy and at ease, you can tell in her eyes that she had been through a trying time and is really needing that quality time to rest up and recover. Charlotte dear, I hope you get to feeling better soon! Lovely photo and probably the best one yet for Mother’s Day! ♥️
ReplyDeleteI so hope you are getting better, Charlotte.
ReplyDeleteI also want to add that I don't think that photo of Carole was with Kate in the front seat. It didn't look at all like Kate -- more like Pippa. But regardless of the weird photoshopping in today's, I have no doubt that Kate is recovering well and will at the right time be back. There was probably (ill-advised) photoshopping to make the photo look as good as possible,.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that the car seem to have 5 wheels made me question the authenticity of that photo as well.
DeleteMajor own goal by KP here. Like all of us, I believe Kate always plays around a little with editing when she takes and release photos of her children. And sometimes it is fairly obvious, but they have never been called out on it, because what is the point of editing tools if one doesn’t, and it doesn’t really matter.
DeleteBut this wasn’t just a Mother’s Day photo and the palace should have foreseen that editing would bring the authenticity of the photo into question.
very strange that the palace would release doctored pictures.
ReplyDeleteActually, it's not. They've certainly done it before. Frankly, retouching photos (and making errors while doing so) has become so common that it can be regarded as standard practice among royals and many other people. The fuss that's being made is really quite out of proportion to its cause.
DeleteI think all the photos they release has been slightly edited to create high quality and flattering, clear photos. It just hasn’t really mattered to anyone because it never brought the authenticity of the photo into question. While I don’t think this has been edited any more than usual they should have realised that they would be called out on it.
DeleteWell said Vittoria, it's a lot more common than people think. Common practice this days i would think. I hope Mothers day was better than it was last year for you.S.🙂.
DeleteThank you, Anon 17:26. We actually celebrate Mother's Day later in the US, but I'm expecting this year's event to be less difficult than last year's. It was kind of you to remember.
DeleteThe gesture of Prince Louis' fingers is really very beautiful
ReplyDeleteCharlotte, good to see you here.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteHi Charlotte - I posted a message to you few minutes ago, but forgot to sign it. I hope you continue to feel better. Happy to see you here again.
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Kate: The image, message and purpose might as well be taken in optimism even with major publications withdrawing the photo. I hope Kate continues recovering to a solid healing.
The family might as well send a video which has a date. The public and even major media is restless. Otherwise I hope Kate is as entitled as whatever is due a citizen to take off from work during an illness.
Anon15
Lovely photograph. A lot of stuff and nonsense in the press and social media. Hopefully you are yourself soon Charlotte.
ReplyDeleteIt is kind of bothersome and a concern when major media withdrew the photo from
ReplyDeletepublication based on “photoshopped” image. The public has all kinds of conspiration theory that even Kate’s face is planted into the image. This also happens to be a mothers day message. Best way to disprove major media is be dressed in exactly the same clothes, Kate with the children, and send a video with a date as William is taking the video. Message: Thank you for you wishes, I look forward to returning to work in due time. Cheesy? Well, what is worse? It is not good for the healing spirit when thousands of people are having negative thoughts during a person’ healing. I hope they SHUT the noise!
Anonymous 6:35 Yes, wouldn't it be nice if we could just "SHUT the noise", as you say. But the expression "Don't hold your breath." comes to mind. In other words, it's not going to happen. This latest snafu will only cause more noise. Poor Kate...poor William. They can't win with the press and some very vocal members of the public.
DeleteHappy smiling people, lovely photo at a beautiful period little terras. What’s not to like. Totally believe she is on the mend. I do not see any photoshopping. Can’t believe all the ridiculous theories and amazed what people have time for to cook up. Sorry they have been pressured into this. Let them be. Charlotte, a very speedy recovery for you and all others that are battling with health issues.
ReplyDeleteI don't get the outcry apart from that what we see is some sloppy photoshop. And it isn't the first. Did people reall believe Wiliam was able to just snap such a great picture by chance and it gets released without some serious editing? The clothes are nicely coordinated (they match well but it doesn't look as if it was done on purpose). All hair on point, Kate's make up impaccable, perfect posing, great lighting..... This is very much a staged picture -nothing wrong with that though. Sadly, KP has a hisotry of Kardasian like photoshop fails. Who ever is doing the editing needs to stop and get some training. The usual editing for contrast, lighting and so on would probably been enough. And if you really feel like you need more substantial editing, please employ someone who knows their job.
ReplyDeleteI also wouldn't be surprised if the photo was taken some time ago. There is no rule that states you have to release a current photo. But maybe the sloppy editing is a sign that is was done quickly and it is indeed a picture from the last weeks.
The Walses should get a better photo strategy in general. They could easily produce a years worth of portraits in just 4 days spread over the seasons. It's baffleing to me that they haven't found a way to minimise the intrusion and maximise to connect a sense of openes with the public (not real openes but rather creating a good illusion of it).
C.
I work in photo agencies and I can safely say that, if the image has been removed by the likes of AFP and Reuters, it is because a manipulation has indeed been made. You can easily see it, it has been done very badly. I don't see anything suspect behind this, just some very naive behaviour. I was a bit surprised by the fact that she is not wearing her rings, too, but after all, she is pictured while relaxed at home, and maybe she does not wear them all the time. Maybe she just forgot to put them on for the picture. Apart from that I think this is causing a lot of noise for nothing, the only consequence should probably be a change in the KP press team: this could be easily avoided, clearly someone is not very good at their job.
ReplyDeleteIt was a happy surprise! I love the photo but it's quite an uproar at the moment. The "kill" announcement, the mistakes etc. I understand why people assume it's AI or photoshopped from old pictures they had. Catherine shared she altered the photo but still it's so weird and there is no information when the photo was taken. Last fall? Last week? Who knows... The speculation about her health and the lack of official information is a huge problem in times of social media. The uproar that we don't need the monarchy get louder and louder everyday...
ReplyDeleteSo the Princess herself tried to edit William's photo to make it look better, and has apologised, in effect, for making a bodged job because she isn't a professional. They didn't want a professional photographer to come in and break her privacy, and the press are punishing her for it. This is the perfect response to all their hooha about the picture.
ReplyDeleteThe uproar over this photo is mind boggling to me - every photo put out by any Royal family member undergoes some degree of retouching - why is this picture so different? Yes, whoever did it could have done a better job, but for news agencies to pull it is an absurd reaction to an innocent picture. Also, the comments about Kate not wearing her wedding rings - is it really anyone's business if she has them on or not? Maybe her fingers are swollen, maybe she was out gardening and took them off - who cares? It's nobody's business to question these personal things or to make assumptions.
ReplyDeleteThey put a nice photo out and it got ripped apart. Yes, their PR/Comms team could have done a better job, but all this for one picture is crazy.
Just to clarify, the agencies *had* to pull the picture because of the guidelines they follow about any photo if they find that it has been manipulated. These are not commercial/advertising images, these are news photos meant for editorial usage, so they cannot be modified apart from minor retouches in lighting, contast etc. In this case parts have been moved/removed so it is a case of proper manipulation and anyone in the field knows this is not accepted - that's why I wrote that someone in the press office should have known better. Having said that, I think the reactions are way over the top, I am sure nothing is being "hidden" here and it looks like an innocent mistake, which could have been easily avoided if someone had double-checked the image before giving it to the press. I am sure all the fuss is just going to disappear as soon as she comes back to her engagements - in her own time, when she feels well enough of course.
DeleteMANIPULATED// So basically they have been hounded and put under huge pressure by social media to release a statement or picture. Picture released with very minor editing. It then turns into a media frenzy and free for all to express their views in print and online. Some of which I would be getting my legal team to look at, if I were them. Then today we have The Princess of Wales feeling she needs to apologise for this and a picture taken of her and the Prince in their car. Just like everyone else and especially Women she has a right to her privacy especially when it comes to medical issues. I really find the treatment of The Princess of Wales since she stepped back for medical reasons absolutely disgusting. Am I surprised, no because I have seen the treatment previous Princess of Wales have had to put up with. I hope both The Prince and Princess of Wales dig their heels in and won't be dictated to be the press or anyone else. I also hope that she doesn't return to public life till she is ready and on her terms. I'm surprised no one has mentioned what this unnecessary stress might be doing to the Princess recovery. She will be missed next weekend on St Patricks day, she always looks great in green and it's lovely to see her with a glass of Guinness. One would hope that she is left alone going forward but with her level of fame I don't think she will be. It's really sad that someone who does so much good is treated so badly. S.🙂.
ReplyDeleteseems like it would have been better to do a little zoom with a charity. She could have been filmed just from the shoulders up and everyone would be happy.
ReplyDeleteAllison, I don't think she should of been expected to do anything or release anything. Be it a photograph or like you suggested a zoom call. She said I have had surgery and I will be stepping back till Easter. I definitely feel that they felt pressured to release something. I just hope they learn from this and won't be dictated to by the media or those people who have nothing better to do than spread lies and hate online. I would be delighted if they put out a statement at Easter saying that the Princess will not be back till the summer because all this unnecessary stress has hindered her recovery. She could have a nice long rest and let the papers wait for their pictures. Unfortunately I would think because of the Kings health and her sence of duty she will push herself to get back to work. S.👍.
DeleteS, I agree that she has the right, in my view, to say she'll be back when she feels well. But IF the RF wants to try to degrade all the crazy rumors, a still photo would never do it. It seems like the public feels they have the right to "approve" her surgery. Sigh.
DeleteYes indeed unfortunately. I was watching a video on YouTube. Prince Archie was being christened. Basically a news clip of a Lady demanding that they be "made" to bring their new baby out for her and the other people there, because she pays for them as she is a tax payer. I've said already but I will be watching how things play out after this. Prince William learned from the master on how to deal with the press on her terms. Princess Diana was known to never forget if someone crossed her. I'm reminded of Diana because to me this just seems savage. Like a pack of wolves circling a lamb. She is well known for always being perfect, doing things the right way while looking amazing. The picture probably wasn't as she wanted. I believe what I am reading about her being very upset over this. She would never want to upstage The King and especially on Commonwealth day. A headline tonight.... The army have had to find someone to step in to give out the shamrock on Sunday.... They have known she wasn't able to attend for months. S.🙂.
DeleteIt is a lovely picture, and I do not get the fuss about editing Charlotte's sleeve a bit. The pearl clutching is ridiculous. And all this killing the picture, isn't it quite over the top? I suppose the news agencies want them to use press photographers.
ReplyDeleteOh dear! Bad timing to release a photo shopped image that we all know is going to be minutely scrutinized. By way of context I recently rewatched “The September Issue” which is a fascinating behind the scenes documentary on how Vogue puts the issue together. Sienna Miller is the cover star and they literally use one image of her head, another of her neck and merge to create the perfect look. Photographers do this all the time, no need for the official news agencies to get so upset about it. I do feel for K though as I’m sure it’s hurtful for her and not what she intended at all. - celticgirl
ReplyDeleteAll this was avoidable. I think William and Catherine for whatever reason did not have good instincts about what photo was released- or they listened to bad advice. After all the rumors and speculation, they needed a perfect response. She has every right to practice AI or photoshop behind the scenes, but this was not a picture that should have been manipulated. I am a little surprised they were not more savvy about this. It will only create distrust of future pictures and more speculation-even if not much is warranted.
ReplyDeleteI do not see anything off or photo shopped, but I'm no expert. What I don't understand is why people need to see her to believe she is okay. They were upfront with the public and Easter is still a couple of weeks away. I know a very healthy Crossfit, thinner than Catherine, eats very clean person who had abdominal surgery, and it is a slow recovery. I will not say what was going on with her as each person is different. I wish people would leave this family alone and stop fueling unnecessary rumors just to force a response.
ReplyDeleteI can't help but feel sorry for her. My initial impression was that it was wonderful to see her and a lovely photo but the conspiracy theories are something else. I do think that they need to review their communications and PR strategy. Kate should be able to keep health issues mostly private if she wants to and they probably do resent the level of scrutiny the photo was exposed to - I completely get it. But this is the world we live in today and I genuinely think it would cause less stress for them if they 'played the game' a bit better.
ReplyDeleteI think William cancelling an event and citing unspecified 'personal reasons' really lit a bonfire under the whole thing. There was only so much privacy the press and social media were willing to give them and it was the straw that broke the camel's back - very much to Kate's detriment. We've seen both 'boys' (William and Harry) struggle with public vs private and I think it's because of the very high price they paid (being bereaved of their mother at such a young age). I think it 'broke' the usual 'contract' that Royals are told how lucky and privileged they are and that to some extent that does mean sharing private information more than they would want to. Understandably, W & H's instincts push them more towards the 'private' end of the spectrum as much as possible. And they are alive at precisely the time that is most difficult to achieve because of advances in technology. I really feel for them.
If I could talk to them, I'd encourage them to learn the lessons but to take the long view. Once they both return properly to work, something else will take over in the news cycle.
People have far too much time on their hands when the response to a photo is "this is photoshopped". Enjoy the joy on their faces. What would happen if your photos were suddenly made public?
ReplyDeleteSome people are calling it the “proof of life” photo , which is meant to be sarcastic and mildly funny. KP didn’t want to do updates or photos at the request of the Princess. The whiny press clamoring for an update got something . While it’s a relief to the public and a nice photo, maybe the Wales decided to further protect their privacy and photoshop something. My husband speculates that the Princess probably looks frail in real life because she is fit and naturally thin. If a surgery made her lose weight , the rumors would be worse. If this was a KP decision, they deserve to be replaced.
ReplyDeleteI wish the Princess of Wales well and don't think she owes us either photos or details about her health. But KP's colossal comms blunders have made it hard for people who just want to wish the Princess well. Frankly, I'm also confused by the fact that William was given credit for taking the photo, but Catherine is the one who had to apologize for the edits.
ReplyDeleteShe probably set up the shot and he snapped the photo. She did the editing. Sue from IL
DeleteThis is a PR nightmare for the royal household and embarrassing for Kate. Good for her to apologize but sad she had to take the fall for this. The photo is badly manipulated and obviously taken more than a week ago because the leaves on the tree are green and this has sadly ignited conspiracy theories. It is too bad they lied about the image date as lying creates more suspicion. Today she was seen with Prince William today in a car (video footage) so hopefully that takes off the stress off her.
ReplyDeleteHi Melissa, their is evidentiary proof that the photo was taken last Friday, with a Canon Camera.. The metadata imbedded in the photo shows the date & time. It was then edited twice on Friday evening at about 10.30pm & Saturday morning at 9.45am. I believe the UK has had s relatively mild winter, and flowers & trees are blooming again for Spring.
Deletethe leaves on the trees in the UK are green. its spring
DeleteHow do we even know if they are real trees. 😂... Just to confirm yes it's been a very mild winter and leaves and the daffodils were very early here In Ireland as well. S.🙂.
DeleteHello dear friends, and a special hug to you Charlotte, I hope you are starting to feel stronger & you’re doing ok.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad, frustrating, emotional and explosive start to 2024 we’ve had. I’d like to share a slightly different perspective, and it simply comes from the difficult 18 months my husband & I have just been through with Throat & Breast cancer. I’m thrilled to say we are both very slowly recovering, and feeling strong enough to plan a holiday in September to London, Paris, Madrid, Venice, Florence & Rome. We are so excited. But, 18 months ago, our minds, heart & health were in turmoil. And, looking back, I’m SO glad that we were able to navigate this period with only our very, very closest family & friends to help us through them. I’m not sure how long The Princess has been unwell, but it clearly has been a significant enough of an issue to require a lengthy hospital stay, and a protracted period of convalescence at home. Then at almost the same time, The King has the TURP Prostate procedure, and then announces his cancer diagnosis. We have no definitive knowledge of where his cancer is, and if it’s anything like what my husband & I have been through, the best treatment in the world will be given to him I’m sure, but there are no guarantees of time, it is truly in Gods hands our time on this earth. So … as the world has capitulated into conspiracy theories and worry & angst, we have a future King who must truly be worried out of his mind. I know this, because I lay there for many nights crying myself to sleep, thinking my dear son could lose both of his parents, and what could I do. It’s in times like this, you don’t make the best decisions. You make the ones that feel right to you … and with his precious family with him last week, his lovely children cuddling his beautiful wife, he took a photo to share with the world that Catherine is looking & feeling a bit better, and to wish us all Happy Mother’s Day. Catherine (like I would do too, decided to touch up the photo) before they released the happy photo to the world. Sounds like a great idea, and IF they had just uploaded to their website, it would have been ok. (For those that have commented is this a recent photo, yes it was taken last week & the metadata information show the dates, and also the time on Friday & Saturday when it was altered). So, why the drama that has followed, and that awful term “kill” the photo. Sadly, it’s simple - albeit a sign of the times we are living in. I worked for 42 years in the media before I retired last year, and with the changing times and the explosion of AI, the major media companies, journalists & photo sharing providers like Getty Images, AP etc have a very strict code of conduct now with images - with specific policies regarding manipulation of images. (My understanding is that this does not include fashion images). And, because this image was released via a press release to the media, they were contravened the new protocols.
I am truly saddened by this outcome, and the shocking, absolutely awful vitriol that has followed. I wonder if we will ever see another photo taken by Catherine of her family. All I know for certainty is that we need our hearts to be filled with love & compassion for this precious family, as we don’t know what the near future holds. Here’s to a 2024 that gets better from here! Sending love to you all from a VERY hot Australia 🇦🇺 With love, Dee x
Dear Dee, thank you for your thoughtful comment. I wish you and your husband a continued recovery and all the best. I join your wishes for 2024. Let’s love a little more, let’s judge a little less. Kind regards, Ing from the Netherlands (Amsterdam might be nice in September as well but you already have a hefty schedule!).
DeleteI’m glad you and your husband are feeling better Dee ! And I agree with your post . Nice to see you writing again.
DeleteSadly I think you’re right. They’ll probably use photographers from here on out. Sue from IL
DeleteThank you Dee, such a beautiful post
DeleteDee, First let me say how very happy I am for you and your husband that you are both well enough to plan a trip. I've been to all the cities that you will be visiting and each one is stunning in its own special way. I wish you safe travels and a wonderful time!
DeleteI want to thank you for putting some logic into what has become a mega mess for William and Catherine. Some of this might have been avoided if their communications team were on top of their game. However, what is done is done and now everyone needs to move forward. Hopefully in a few weeks Catherine will be well enough to join the Royal Family at church, for Easter. We need to be patient and perhaps then the speculations and conspiracy theories will fade into oblivion.
Thank you, so true.
DeleteDee totally with you in all you have said. I am very uncomfortable with the level of stringent criticism/ abuse directed at the Princess. It is not acceptable.
DeletePeople had better watch the level of hysteria here and keep this in check, or they are going to find themselves not getting any access or photos like this in the future. And, I would not blame them if TRF pulled back. This is utterly ridiculous. Anyone can see that the children have "aged" in all noticeable and developmentally appropriate ways since we all had a good look at them during the Westminster Abbey Carol event. These "alterations" in the photo are not even of important things! I mean, we are talking about a zipper and a cuff of a sweater, right? And, I see pretty mushy, wet mud in the bed next to the patio and plants (especially vines) can stay green when they abut a structure that is heated throughout the winter months. Personally, I think this is a blown out of water drama that needs to stop now.
ReplyDeleteWhat hysteria. 🤣🤣🤣... You make a very good point. I hope that they don't release too much going forward. Prince William is known for being very stubborn , I would imagine he will be raging over all this nonsense. The press would do well to remember that they have a good working relationship with Prince William which under the circumstances they might not have like with other members of his family. Unfortunately this set up works well for the family because the press get their pictures and stay away from the children. I would also think the reaction by the press agencies that pulled the picture for what they know were very minor adjustments has been noted. I think it will be the press who will loose the most here. They spotted a mistake made by the Palace or the Princess and completely lost the run of themselves. S.🙂.
DeleteI agree. I think for the children’s birthdays this year they should simply write happy birthday and offer no picture. This is just ridiculous. Sue from IL
DeleteTotally agree - I feel bad Kate is taking the fall for this and if I were here I would be pissed. Having to deal wit this, plus whatever her health issues are has to be very difficult, and I still just don't understand why people feel they are entitled to see the original picture, or get a reason why she is not wearing her wedding rings. Social media can really be a horrible thing!
DeleteOh, I could not agree more! Pretty much every posed photo we see in the media is touched up and the things in Kate’s photo are so trivial. I think KP have not handled the whole thing well but honestly, the furore over this lovely photo shows what madness social media can incite.
DeleteAnon 00:08, you raised a great point about the kids aging!! Kudos to you! No matter what else is going on.... spot on with the kiddos!
DeleteIt's Prince Louis birthday next month. See what happens for that. S.🙂.
DeleteCharlotte when you are up to it could you explain what happens when KP release a photo? How do Getty etc get involved? Surely they cannot onsell the photographs.
ReplyDeleteThe picture would be released to all the media organisations at the same time. The palace or whoever took the picture owns the copyright to it. S.🙂.
DeleteI've been trying to not jump on board the conspiracy theories and really want to give them the benefit of the doubt but I have two issues with this...first...they are refusing to release the original photo and second, Kate was pictured out with Will yesterday but her head was turned so only her profile showed?None of this is normal. To squash any and all rumors they should release the original and have a clear, recent shot/video of Kate.
ReplyDeleteAnd they are funded by taxpayers, they have a responsibility for some truthful disclosure here. I think they have definitely used up all of their grace and favor. Something is extremely wrong here. I'm beginning to wonder if the coma rumors are true.
EC Anon.
Same. Some people on here act like Kate is a private citizen when she is part of the royal family that is unelected and funded by tax payers. They need to be truthful on what’s going on with Kate and stop with the nonsense.
Deletei have a couple of concerns with your message. firstly they are not taxpayer funded but even if they were your employer does not have a right to your private medical information. catherine was in the car with william but not at an engagement. clearly she did not want her picture taken so thats why her head was turned. the photo agencies showed the edits and they were all minor. if they released the original photo that would create another round of neurotic nonsense so it wouldnt help them at all - it would just feed the fire. catherine will be back at work when she is ready and in the meantime people should learn a little grace and good manners
Delete@Noreen, thank you for your graceful comment. I really don’t understand the ‘demands’ people have. Let’s love a little more and judge a little less. Time will tell, let’s grand them that time.
DeleteI'm in total agreement. Catherine deserves to recover from surgery in peace.
DeletePeople are saying that Kate's head was turned as she didn't want her photo taken. Could it have been as simple as something was happening outside the window, on her side of the car and she turned her head to see what was going on? One reporter stated that it was an act of defiance that made Kate turn her head. Everyone needs to calm down and stop speculating.
DeleteActually, in a close up photo I saw, she was looking at her phone. You can actually see the phone in the zoomed in photo. So ikn??
DeleteJe ne comprends pas le mauvais procès qui est fait à Kate, tout le monde retouche ses photos afin qu elles soient parfaites
ReplyDeleteFichons la paix à Kate afin qu elle nous revienne en pleine forme et le plus rapidement possible
AGREED!
DeleteI think the uproar over this picture is crazy and i feel terrible that Kate has to deal with this just for posting a nice picture of her family. Who cares when it was taken, or whether she has her rings on - it's nobody's business - it's a pretty picture for Mother's Day. I would never had even noticed something was off if not for the media madness.
ReplyDeleteEvery photo that comes from a Royal family or anyone in the media is "touched up" to hide imperfections and make it look better...why people are shocked is a mystery to me. I find the fact that news outlets pulled it and Kate was made to apologize very unfortunate.
But why photoshop it? Like what purpose does that make. It just adds to the conspiracy theories.
DeleteIt's not the fact that it was just "touched up" but rather Kate's face was super imposed from another photo. Therefore it is not authentic. It makes it seem like her face was taken from another photo and who knows if it was even from this same shoot. That changes the authenticity of this photo. Little touch ups are normally but not cutting and pasting different images.
DeleteAgree...
DeleteYour comments are 100 perfect and just what I was going to say.
DeleteDd
Well said!
DeleteInterestingly, I remember the photo of the late Queen taken by Kate at Balmoral surrounded by some of her great grandchildren, Louise & James was said by some to be photoshopped.
ReplyDeleteA real pity the Mother's Day photo was photoshopped. It removes the authenticity of it.
ReplyDeleteI do not feel that way:)
DeleteI think the best option would have been a video of Kate shoulders up thanking people for their support with reference to something that’s just happened to confirm authenticity.
ReplyDeleteI’m doubtful the picture of her in the car with her mother was her I think it was Pippa . According to reports there was no security present which I’m sure would have been if it was Kate.
GT
I’m glad to hear you are mending Charlotte.
ReplyDeleteThe Happy Mother’s Day tribute by William has turned into a debacle. The reason why the photo was issued a kill notification by major non-UK media is because this photo was meant to be distributed officially to news agencies worldwide.
The standard for photoshopping your personal instagram account is very different than ones used by reputable news agencies. News agencies have strict standard because of fakes and frauds. This isn’t about taking a few wrinkles or pounds off an image. It’s about cobbling photos from different sources. That’s a big deal. People have seen how fakes have disrupted lives and used for nefarious political purposes. A strict standard is also to protect copyrighted works.
It’s also a big deal because the UK press used this photo to quell the public clamor for evidence of Kate’s well being. Unfortunately, the British press didn’t vet the photo like the foreign news outlets did. THAT is bad. UK media lost its credibility here. Remember this is a small ecosystem and royal correspondents are used frequently by foreign media to consult/discuss the royals. The Palace lost credibility as well. It speaks volume that CNN is going through its archives to take a second look at their stories about the royals.
To matter worst, KP issued an apology purportedly written by Kate. I’m sorry to say, I don’t believe William took the photo and Kate photoshopped it. I don’t believe Kate wrote the apology either. The trust issue is being debated in big and small threads everywhere. It’s not just among the niche royal watchers anymore.
Finally, I’m upset at the way Kate is set up here. I believe she is not well and wherever she is, I hope she has trusted people caring for her. I no longer believe what the UK press or what KP puts out about her. I want verification first.
-sad and upset
Agree. Also why did William cancel going to his godfathers memorial that was at Windsor castle? Why did the palace say it was for a “personal matter” or whatever they said. The need to be honest. Him not showing up to this on his own property, was absolutely uncalled for.
DeleteI do not trust any more “royal reporters”.
I agree. I don’t feel like the blame should have been put on her especially since I highly doubt she was the one that edited the photo. Made me sad that all the responsibility was thrown onto her.
DeletePutting on skinny jeans while recovering from any surgery makes no sense. They are hard to put on and take off even when perfectly healthy. It would put great strain on her abdomen to not only have those tight jeans on, but the boots with laces?
ReplyDeleteI also thought the tight jeans seemed unrealistic. I think the whole problem is that there are tons of ugly rumors involving her face, so a touched-up photo does not quelch those rumors. Hopefully she'll be out and about in a few weeks and it can be done with.
DeleteI had major abdominal surgery. One incision is 7 inches long and the other incision is 3 inches long. Once I was out of pajamas my neighbors/friends and my sister helped me to dress. I wore maternity pants made of knit fabric that looks like denim. Except for the loose top of the pants, the leg part stretches out and then tightens to fit like leggings. I wore tennis shoes with laces that were put on my feet and tied for me after the pants were put on. I am sure that Catherine has help when dressing. No need to comment on my medical condition. Benign tumor - I am fine. Just mentioned my procedure in relation to what Catherine is wearing in the photo.
DeleteMaybe they are maternity jeans? Skinny legs not comfy middle?
DeleteThis whole saga around the picture is beyong ridiculous but for me the one clear takeaway is : Kate is a nice person.
ReplyDeleteHa ha Natacha, completely agree with your direct statement.
DeleteNatacha, I absolutely agree. I wish so much I had a magic wand and could create a bubble of protection around Catherine and make it all ok. I feel so strongly that she has the kindest of hearts and has worked so hard to do right for her country and the royal family, all while trying to just be a good mom as all of us moms are trying to be. And now, whether or not she even edited this photo, she’s being berated and apologizing for something that has been so blown out of proportion, and when she’s still recovering from surgery! It’s simply cruel and I just don’t understand what is going on. I always felt like William was fiercely protective of her and while I don’t want to point fingers because no one truly knows what is going on, it seems odd that he has been silent. Something just feels off and I can’t help but worry about her a bit. I am going to try very hard to just trust in them and tune out the noise. I hope she knows how many people care about her and support her and think this picture situation is ridiculous.
DeleteKim, Saratoga Springs, USA
It would be nice if the RF FINALLY figures out a way to push back against all the ugly media rumors. Times have changed and the old way of ignoring the media does not seem appropriate anymore.
ReplyDeleteThis controversy highlights the problem of the invisible contract. The Royal Rota reports on the royals based on hearsay and anonymous source - a palace insider- and there’s no independent second source to verify the information. The public take their words as truths and repeat them on threads like here.
ReplyDeleteSuch a news set up led to laziness and perhaps because it’s treated as entertainment news and gossips, that’s ok. But then you can’t have it both ways. Should the royals be given so much due deference? So much taxpayers’ monies to support their royal celebrity status? So many special privileges that parliament set up special carve outs so they don’t have to follow the rules of law like the rest of the citizens?
This is the sticky bit. For people who have unique privileges, yet can’t be truthful when needed, can’t manage their work professionally really makes you ask why protect them from scrutiny? Perhaps more scrutiny is needed to correct the imbalance.
The royal press has become lazy and untrustworthy. They don’t hold to reporting standard other reporters have to. Credibility matters. When there’s so much questionable behaviors by the royal press and the royals, there need to be better checks and balances. Otherwise, the set up degenerates and becomes corruptible with fewer and fewer people believing in the institution. It becomes a hotbed of gossips and entertaining memes. There’s certainly entertainment value here, but is it worth public funding at a time the country is facing hard times?,
Something like this is bound to happen again and again. The thing with Andrew wasn’t a one off. There have been too many shady happenings that have been reported outside the Rota circle. There needs to be a serious correction to regain institutional credibility. Queen Elizabeth was too infirmed in her later years to do so. Charles has cancer. William and Kate don’t seem well. A serious correction is needed, otherwise they are reduced to being meme fodder.
My suggestion, release the original unvarnished photo. That’ll settle the controversy and shut the conspiracy-minded nutters out there. Easy peasy. I don’t know why KP comms didn’t do this in the first place.
ReplyDeleteIn fact KP could have released a photo of the children, skip the William took the photo bit, and there would have been no fuss. Now KP has lost credibility and their future actions will be scrutinized like mad.
I just want to add the reason why people shouldn’t make light of the photoshop is because if people are ok with allowing news outlets not verify photos before printing it publicly, then would it be ok for someone to distribute a doctored photo of William being intimate with someone other than Kate or Kate with another man?
ReplyDeleteThis is why reputable news outlets have rules and standards. It’s to weed out lies, fraud, and misinformation. This problem, as AI gets more capable, is bigger than a doctored Mother’s Day photo obviously. Right now, I’m upset at how Kate is left to take the blame. William supposedly took the photo, if you believe that. So where’s his responsibility? Where’s the caring husband here? Sorry for this, but I can’t wrap my head around what’s been happening.
-sad and upset
I think it was absolutely correct for the news agencies to take the photo out of their portfolio. It was also not ok to hand out a photo with that much editing and especially badly done and not second checked by KP. It is one thing to post it on your own Instagram accoung, another to give it out without the disclaimer. But the real problem are the people coming up with crazy conspiracy theories. As much entertainment as it is, it paints a very disturbing picture of the minds of those people.
DeleteC.
Exactly. RF members are newsworthy, so what is published about them is news. No news / news photograph should be manipulated, ever. By manipulation we don't mean some slight retouches to a wrinkle, but actual modifications to parts or all of the image, so that it does not reproduce reality as it happened anymore. This is becoming even more vital with the advent of AI. Strict rules are essential for news photography.
DeleteAnon 20:30, we are all sad and upset but let's not make it worse by criticizing William. He has always shown support and care for his wife. If anyone is to blame it is the people on the Wales communication team. They should be expert enough and also savvy enough to know that manipulated photos are unacceptable, when distributed to legitimate news outlets . Also from a PR standpoint it was a grave mistake not to issue regular statements, perhaps the odd photo, video, or even radio voice, to ensure people that Kate is not in a coma, she has not had a mental breakdown, she has not left her marriage, she is not dead....and so on. I am NOT saying that the privacy about her medical condition should be disclosed. But to go completely silent for almost three months, was not at all smart. It makes people think that there is something to hide. The King has handled his illness very well. We don't know the nature of his cancer, but we do know he is going for treatments and we do see photos and videos of him meeting the Prime Minister and other dignitaries. The outrage concerning Kate is not because she is not back at work, it is not because she wants to maintain her privacy (rightly so). It is because as the late Queen once said, "The Royal Family has to be seen to be believed." Assure the public that Kate is not missing in action and all this will calm down. Whatever, let's not get so nasty as to blame William.
DeleteThe first sentence hasn't aged well
ReplyDeleteI hope you are continuing to get better Charlotte. Thank you for all your time and energy you put into this much appreciated corner of Royal Family followers. I can’t believe how ridiculously out of hand this whole situation as got. For people who supposedly have a professional, experienced PR team they couldn’t have made a worse job of it. I’m disappointed in the whole bunch of advisors and hired professionals. The Family are just that, a family coping with a very rough start to the year - as are many - the fact their every move is watched by the world isn’t something they have control over - that’s the advisor/PR teams job to deal with.
ReplyDeleteI don’t go in for conspiracy theories, the truth will be very mundane. I am sad that Catherine has taken the wrap for this and that the media continue to force attention on her and try and paint her as untrustworthy. Badly done editors. You haven’t learnt from Princess Diana, Prince Harry and Meghan yet have you! I do think William should be out front and centre being active in his roll as his fathers successor. Maybe he is and it’s not being reported. Wouldn’t be surprised. Ok rant over. Take care everyone and hug those close to you.
This is such nonsense. What part of "she's not expected to out in public until after Easter " is beyond comprehension to people? And so what...the picture was edited. I edit nearly everything I post or send. Bump up the color, use object eraser to remove anything I don't want in the frame or that takes away from the photo, etc.
ReplyDeleteWhat stupidity. Honestly, it's as if a bunch of sad, drama loving people WANT something to be wrong. She was ill, from something that isn't our business. Leave her alone and let her heal. She'll get out and and about when she's ready.
Kate is funded by taxpayers so people have the right to transparency and Kensington palace has not been transparent
DeleteI am becoming more and more disturbed by the public sentiment - can no one mind his own business? The Princess' health is no one's business but hers and her family's.
ReplyDeleteThe same way people worry about elected officials health. When you are funded by taxpayers you people are going to wonder
DeleteI just want to say that this seems so ridiculous to get this emotional about someone else's life when no harm was intended. If everyone who is worked up about this would put the same energy into improving their own life, this world would be a much better place.
ReplyDeleteI am a special ed teacher and always try to look beyond behavior and into the heart. The Princess of Wales has had a major medical issue and is STILL dealing with a tremendous recovery probably affecting every minute of every day. She kindly gave some personal reason and said she won't be out in the public until after Easter. She was then the victim of vicious rumours well before Easter. She tried to post a family picture to quell some crazy rumours and is probably embarrassed about her not so great look currently (knowing she will be criticized). They are a down to earth family that often do things themselves and it seems that was the intent. She edited pictures of herself & family- NOT of anyone else. I am sure they learned a valuable PR lesson and will do things differently in the future. Let's all give the same grace we would like if we would like to receive and use our energy to be a positive influence in this world.
👏 bravo
DeleteBravo 👏
DeleteI agree. Very well stated.
DeleteI don't know of a reasonable person who bought into any of these "conspiracy" theories about Kate's absence, but it shows how the media works and how quick people are to toss around memes and obviously false and ugly rumors. I know Kate has been a long time perfecting her image and it must be very upsetting to see attacks when she requests a little privacy.
ReplyDeleteI think it's been confusing about how serious Kate's condition is. William staying off work to drive the kids to and from school didn't make sense.
But I think when she returns in a few weeks, there'll be nothing to say. Still, a good lesson about how harmful the media can be.
Allison, in relation to conspiracy theories you say, "it shows how the media works." I would like to clarify that it is social media, not legitimate news media, that has created the problem. People can post just about anything they wish on places like FaceBook, or X, or Tik Tok. Legitimate new media, not the tabloids, are more aware of the need to fact check.
DeleteI was thinking about all the vitriol we are seeing and wondering how it happened. One thought I have is that the public is supposed to view the RF as "their" family. The public is supposed to love them. When Kate was suddenly said to be having surgery and then would not be seen nor heard for a long period of time, I think it may be like if that occurred to a sister or aunt. You'd expect to maybe call a caretaking family member and have the sister or aunt get on the phone and just say "I'm OK. Don't worry." Then that very very odd photo of someone in the car with Carole Middleton appeared. Even with steroids, that person looked nothing like Kate. So to combine the lack of voice reassurances and the odd woman with the photoshopped photo just makes it all seem more like a mystery.
ReplyDeleteThis does put into perspective the M&H difficult media times mirrored those of Diana, Fergie, Sophie, Camilla & Kate (even Beatrice and E were ridiculed). It just depends on what moment in time the comparison is made and relative to society at the time. Sadly, each went thru periods of highs, lows and neutrals. None had it easy and whilst one had it "appearingly" easy, another was struggling. Rarely did the palace intervene. For those of us alive when Diana was married it is sadly clear. At Diana's death, QEII was the villan! The royals put there heads down and waited for calmer days. Perhaps that's what we most miss about QEII: steadiness in turbulent times.
DeleteThankfully, Kate is finally "seen"! I imagine she can now rest for another month without the "where is Kate" hounding. It did occur to me, though, that perhaps she needs to build up after her surgery. I of course have no idea what the surgery was but she looked a bit thinner so perhaps the extra time is needed to build up. Regardless, there's no more excuses for wondering about her now, which I think is good.
ReplyDeleteI think she absolutely does need to build up stamina. After I had my own surgery last fall and followed doctor's orders for what I was and was not allowed to do, it took me a while to feel like I even back to normal. And I still feel side effects from scar tissue even after 6 months have gone by since then.
DeleteBorder Terrier lover
A picture of The Princess at the Windsor farm shop was released this evening. I can't believe this story is still top of the news. It was nice to see the Irish guards paying tribute to her yesterday. I hope they thought to send her some Guinness, I had hoped after the announcement that she would be back at work in two weeks after Easter, now it's been reported that they meant after the Easter holidays which are in the middle of April for the children. I hope the weather is good and she gets to recover in the country with her family and this latest photo will put a end to all that is being said and written about her. She truly deserves the privacy she has asked for. S.🙂.
ReplyDeleteI just want to say that I don't think it is fair blaming the media for all that is going on with the freak out concerning Will and Kate. In all fairness, the media was very respectful initially. There has only been a fall out since William canceled last minute for the memorial service and he gave a very vague/mysterious "personal reasons". Then, this all really went into a frenzy when the military said Kate would attend the Trooping of the Color in June. And then they had to back pedal and remove that. That is when people and the media really roared up because why wouldn't Kate be better by June? That is 3 months after Easter when it was said Kate would return to duties. The cut and paste Mother's Day photo didn't help either. It made people wonder what was really wrong with Kate because nothing was adding up in the last few weeks.
ReplyDeleteThis is honestly all Will and Kate's fault and could have been avoided. They tried to be vague and mysterious and that doesn't work in their position anymore. The days of mysterious royals is gone. They could have avoided so much of this by being a little more transparent. I'm not saying they had to announce what Kate's surgery was for but they could have been less vague this whole time. They like to do things their way and not show much of their personal lives, but I think they need to start listening to their advisors more.
It doesn't help that Will and Kate are not known for their work ethic so who knows if extra time was taken off for that. After seeing the video today of Kate carrying a very full bag it makes me question all this even more. If you have major abdominal surgery, you are not supposed to carry anything heavy and she is carrying a stuffed bag. I just don't trust Will and Kate anymore. I think the conspiracy theories are way overboard, but some of the rumors may be true. Where there is smoke there is fire and this could have been avoided if Will and Kate had not done a few of the strange things they did in the last few weeks. I just don't agree the media is the one to blame for all this uproar recently. Who knows what is really going on, but I do think Will and Kate caused this mess and now the media has run with it and the inconsistencies.
To be fair, the article said she was shopping for bread, so I doubt it was a heavy bag as many keep saying online. I do agree more transparency would've helped, but at the same time, I respect their need to set boundaries on personal health matters.
DeleteEven though its still well within the given leave time, the public wants proof of life, then they didn't think the photo in Carol's car was Kate (no one ever claimed it was) . They wanted a video after the photo, now people think it wasn't her. She looked happy and like she was recovering, but why was she walking quickly and carrying bread. At this point, whatever the do will be a lose-lose situation.
I think what is playing up is the power struggle with the media. The media was very respectful with Kate's privacy, not because of altruism or nice manner but because it is the law. Now there are using all kind of excuses to claim that the only way this "mess" can be put to right is for Kate to be more transparent, to come clean, not be secretive and mysterious, times have changed, the old-fashioned mantra doesn't work anymore and so on, in short, they won't stop until they know all and publish it. The Wales are resisting , making blunders along the way when they yield to pressure, like releasing the picture.
DeleteIMO the fact that they refuse to share more details about Kate's medical condition, or the fact they edited a bit the mother day picture doesn't make them less trustworthy. Kate is being hounded and I think it is unfair to say it is her fault.
What it also shows is how often
Kate was publicly seen and how much the public wants to see her again.
NC, I agree with you that things should have been handled differently. I would place the majority of the blame on the Wales communications team for not keeping on top of the situation. However, as you suggest, perhaps William and Kate themselves refused to follow advice. Before retiring, I worked as the PR officer for a national company. PR and media training taught me that by refusing to comment, you give the appearance of a "cover up." That is when the speculation, rumours and conspiracy theories evolve. Most people strongly defend Kate's right to not discuss her medical condition. Privacy is important. However, to go totally silent was what started the mess. Kate could have released a statement every few weeks...thanking people for their concern, thanking the hospital staff, just saying "hello". If Kate didn't want to release a photo, or a video, she could have given a radio statement, in her own voice. The King has kept people informed with short videos of him reading the cards that people sent, or him meeting with the Prime Minister etc. With a regular, carefully worded up dates, none of this circus would have happened.
DeleteNC, I agree that things could have been handled SO much better. Or could have just been handled at all. Now the video of Kate shopping is under attack because (1) when AI "cleans" up the photo, it obviously isn't Kate and (2) she appears to be shorter than Kate. I agree the AI-cleaned images are not Kate but the blurry video looks just like Kate to me, only a bit more gaunt, which might be expected, so I think it really is Kate. A neighbor of theirs came out today to say he has seen her very recently, including at school, where one of his children also goes.
DeleteIt may be upsetting to some people that Kate is able to get out and "carry a bag" but not participate in "work." I don't know -- maybe she would be back to work now if her children did not have their school break.
What this really speaks to, though, is how close W&K are to getting the H&M treatment, which is still horrible. The Internet is ready to gleefully pounce on anyone if something bad can be said or clever memes can be produced. I don't think ignoring all of it is the way to go anymore.
I certainly don't blame the Royal couple for this. The palace announced that she had surgery and would be taking time off to recover. Maybe that photo would never of been released or even taking, if it wasn't for the hounding by global media and social media. Prince William is very close to the Greek Royal family. I'm sure he would of been at the memorial service if he could. It could of been something as simple as a upset tummy. Not something that you would want to announce to the world. S.🙂.
DeleteJust curious how many of us can live up to the standards we place on W&C. As someone who has recovered from multiple surgeries and cancer treatments, there are days you do a bit more or too much to feel normal and days you just want to crash. We've all done that. I forwent social media years ago as a large percentage of photos didn't capture reality... like the smiling Disney photo when the kids a minute ago were squabbling maniacs. The royals erred on being more transparent when mystery is the golden ticket. We want to know but feel cheated upon finding they are normal people, not a fairy tale.
DeleteI fully agree with you NC. We can support Will & Kate and at the same time still say, that this was all very poorly handled by them and they made steps that cost them self inflicted own goals.
DeleteThe King on the other hand has handled his situation superbly. He is in the same boat as Kate, in that he also had surgery and he is also battling a serious disease, his disease treatment maybe even have a longer time of recovery than Kate, yet from Day 1 he came across as open and transparent.
After his surgery, you could see he was a bit weaker, he had to use his hand to steady himself on the car as he left the hospital. But we've gotten a picture here, a video there. He is giving the public the impression of regular updates not radio silence.
Maybe the King has handled it better due to his experience and greater wisdom due to him being a royal longer than them, but Kate & William might need to have a deeper realization and awareness that they have risen to a more prominent position, they are Heads of State in waiting, and they no longer have the luxury of continuing with the same behaviour, strategy and modus operandi that worked 5 -7 years ago or when they were newly married with a younger family.
Hopefully, this a growth period and great learned lesson for them.
Agreed Allison! I think the recent sightings show K is on the mend but it’s unfair of some in the media to expect her back to public duties sooner simply because she was seen shopping. To me it just means she is gradually resuming normal activity and isn’t rushing back, nor should she.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if this is true, but I read Kate will be back after the children return to school after their spring break. This makes sense for Kate to not overdo and enjoy that time with her husband and children before resuming more activities. Surgery had an impact on the entire family.
DeleteIt was great to see W&C. I don't want to break a rule, but I did think Kate looked energetic and tiny.
Wonderful to see the new photo of William & Kate at the market. She looked healthy as they walked along. I honestly thought the photo in the car after Mother’s Day was the worst - she turned so all we saw was a very stern profile. This photo gives us hope she’ll be back to full form soon. And not a minute too soon - our national news has been full of Kate speculation & trying to address the various rumors. Missouri Gal
ReplyDeleteI don’t believe the market video put out by TMZ and the Sun. The two outlets peddle gossips and are known for some serious problems among their staffers and the very shady ways they operate, e.g. phone hacking. I’m not going to rely on some bleary TMZ photo of Kate with swollen face and her mum sitting in a car, anymore than I will accept a poor video of someone who looks like a much younger, taller and energetic Kate next to someone who may or may not be William.
ReplyDeleteI don’t need such bad “proofs.” I like to see some consistency and some regards and respect for the citizenry. Don’t push a doctored photo on the public. If the Market Kate is to be believed, then why not just take a photo of her and leave the children out of it as a Mother’s Day photo. Market Kate looks wonderful and if that’s Kate, the video blew holes for Kate’s need for privacy. KP did itself in with such righteous indignation.
Not everyone who follows the news is a conspiracy theorists. I think the majority of the public is much like readers here. Queen Elizabeth said famously that the royal family has to be seen in order to be believed. That belief gave the royals purpose and guided its behaviors. It is how the royal family behaved until now. The royals were seen at charities, doing their soft diplomacy around the world, while being photographed and videoed in all their glamour and meaningful power dressing archived for prosperity.
Finally, if Charles who is in his 70’s, diagnosed with cancer, can be seen today working in official capacity, meeting the veterans from the Korean War, then Kate and William need to do more than do a quick stroll at Windsor Market. I was not impressed by the way KP office treated Ministry of Defense. With all the money and power befitting the Prince and Princess of Wales, these two need to get their act together and regain back their credibility.
- now a vSkeptic
Watching the evening news and it appears that the Circus is still in town after 9 days. The Princess of Wales is on every news channel around the world. Her lookalike put out a statement saying it is not her in the video that appeared yesterday. Questions being asked about would she really use plastic bags. I don't go to the gutter and read what is being said online about her. Now tonight we have breaking news that staff at the hospital she was treated in tried to or did access her personal medical records. How violated she must be feeling after hearing this. That poor Woman. I had to do a double take when I saw the headline. It leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. I'm shaking my head thinking, how can a lady who only ever did good be treated so badly. Not a thought for her asking for privacy to heal. I used the word HOUNDED in another post. Earl Spencer used the word HUNTED about Princess Diana. S.🙂.
ReplyDeleteI agree S. And it is a strange world where all kind of crazy theories grow only because Kate is not seen for two months. This crisis says so much more about the state of the (online)world that it does about Kate. In fact it is remarkable because this whole debate is not at all about the real Kate, it is all fictional and virtual. A bit scary, all those people getting more and more obsessed.
DeleteI agree wholeheartedly S. I am heartbroken to think this is how we treat people, regardless of who it is. Now after hearing this shattering news about Kate's cancer, I can only hope that the vile comments and trolls will take a step back and show some remorse. I can only imagine how difficult it has been just to navigate all of this with their children, now they have to deal with the vitriol. We can't even give one moment's peace to this woman, who as you say has been hounded....it's truly sad.
DeleteThe things you learn. Murdoch owns the Sun and TMZ. The havocs NewsCorp have caused around the world and now it’s neck deep, once again, with the British royals. NewsCorp has serious trust issue and has favored conservative Tories in policies and politics. This very cozy relationship entwined the royals as members of their court revolved through media and government. Lack of accuracy, bias, breaking laws, and lack of journalistic ethics are the legacies of NewsCorp empire.
ReplyDeleteThe Sun hacked the royals’ phones, including William and Harry back when they were in their early 20’s. The Sun settled the case secretly with William in 2020, but is still fighting with Harry.
What a small pond. For good reason, I take news from such sources with a whole salt shaker.
You know whatever is going on with Kensington Palace is a symptom of the royal family slow decline. Kategate is now a global word and a global meme. I don’t think this is the kind of global branding the royal family wants.
ReplyDeleteTrying to make it a “tempest in a teapot” or faulting conspiracy theorists, or about respecting privacy doesn’t cut it. Why? The public can be fooled some of the time. But not all the time.
This is a public facing family who, with its blessings, has the Royal Rota print daily articles about it 24/7. It’s hardly surprising that when its most famous face disappeared with the vaguest and weirdly, oddly detailed description of “abdominal surgery”, people are going to take notice. Contrast how the public reacted to the more no-nonsense, forthcoming news about Charles’ health. There wasn’t a lot of medical details about Charles’ conditions, but enough to inform. Charles is the King, and Kate, the Princess of Wales. Both public figures and beneficiaries of public funding.
What made it worst is KP and William were remarkably inconsistent with their actions and words. The photos and odd video. KP officially backed the photo of William and a woman whose face we can’t see, but was supposed to assume as Kate in a car served to fuel the “where’s Kate?” question. Now we have news agencies outside the UK vetting older photos KP released for possible problems and finding problems means the respectful acceptance by news agencies is gone. That loss of trust is big.
You can’t convince the world the problems here are all due to a bunch of hysterical, on-line conspiracy theorists. The problem is within the palace walls and its occupants. The Royal Rota and this invisible contract aren’t working because once that arrangement loses credibility and becomes a joke, it’s tough getting it back.
I wonder if things would've been handled better if Kate also didn't have a new private secretary happening to be transitioning into the role right at this same moment.
ReplyDeleteA baffling own goal too by the Waleses. Because while it'd be one thing if her last secretary left relatively recently & so this new hiring was within a fairly realistic time frame after a search , in this case Kate just did not have a private secretary for the past *2 years*!!! Which is alsoso the entire time, minus just the very first month, that she's been Princess of Wales,
And let's be honest, there is just no plausible reason for not finding a replacement for SO long, other than not trying.
And I imagine in the midst of this escalating hoopla, it probably wouldn't have hurt to already have had an at least somewhat established chief of staff,essentially, in place before this whole surgery thing even started.
On somewhat related tangent-this lack of private secretary bothered me before already when, again, there just isn't any real reason to not be able to find a new one for 2 whole years unless you're just not trying.
ReplyDeleteSo the seeming mindset behind the choice bothered me before -that someone who just became princess of Wales didn't find the need for a private secretary for 2 years during her first 2 years +1 month after the title change
. Seems like at least a clear signal that there has been no intent on her part to step up duties at all, for multiple years, as a form of *some* acknowledgement of new position and/or the new access to Duchy of Cornwall funding.
All seemingly also reflected by her actual workload as PoW-which imo at best has been the same as before (if we're being generous), and most probably actually has been at least somewhat lower as PoW
I'd like to think that this crazy time will be a reminder of how painful public ridicule is. Even when the ridicule is not purposefully cruel, it is relentless. For example, I'm sure there will be a "where is Kate?" mention on Saturday Night Live this weekend, our 50-year-old comedy show.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the last three weeks have been OTT bedlam. It certainly didn’t need to be this way. SM was always a double edge sword in a popularity contest. The crowd is fickle. You can blame some of this on netizens but the press and the behavior of the royal family are just as much at fault.
ReplyDeleteCertainly Kate has a right to medical privacy, but she also has a job and her life is funded by tax money. She may not be regent, but she’s princess of the realm. With such privilege comes great expectation. I thought Charles did a brilliant job balancing the need to know and maintaining his privacy.
I call BS when some press outlets are bashing netizens for conspiracy theories are also the same ones that had no qualm hacking phones, paying paps, or contributing to people’s mental health breakdown, as they did to Caroline Flack. The fact that you have suicides and billions paid out to victims, yet the deplorable behaviors by these press outlets continue unrestrained should make you question who’s the problem here.
I wished none of this happened, but the silver lining is some of the rots is exposed and it’s time to fix them and do better. I look forward to better days.
- be well all
The biggest conclusion I take from everything that's happening is that everybody that has been claiming for the last 5 years that nobody cares about kate was wrong. Remember when someone wanted to break the internet?? Well Kate has certainly done its
ReplyDeleteOmigoodness :(
ReplyDeleteOh, no. Sad news to hear. Prayers for Kate and family.
ReplyDeleteI have stayed rather quiet... but I hope lessons are learned, now that Kate has announced that she has cancer..... I will stopt short of sharing my true feelings, about what's been said in the public sphere.. But to quote a source, close to the couple & friend from within the children's school community, who it has been said, are very protective of Kate & what she's been going through! This source said, "People will feel ashamed when the truth comes out." That statement is echoing within me. How quick we are to judge & to assume the worst. How can we judge others, lest we walk in their shoes.
ReplyDeleteI wish Kate, William & the children all the peace, blessings, strength & of course privacy they need, as they are going through this time. May they hold each other close & may Kate be able to focus on her most important job.... that of healing... body, mind & spirit.
The horrible news, released today, that Kate has cancer is the outcome none of us wanted. I will pray for her recovery. Medicine has come far in treating cancer, so I know she will have the very best.
ReplyDeleteAnd there we have it. The heartbreaking news that The Princess Wales has cancer and is receiving chemotherapy. Please God she will be ok. I hope those who have hounded her and spread lies are happy they now know this terrible news. S.🙂. 🙏
ReplyDeleteOh no. Catherine is fighting cancer.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that there have been and are now, times when Catherine and William alone together have held on to each other and cried. Thankfully Catherine has her parents and sister and brother who can help the Wales family with this. William was always said to be close to the Middleton family. Many prayers for Catherine, William and the children. Hopefully everyone who has positive messages will continue to speak and anyone with only negative opinions will keep quiet.
ReplyDelete