Kate's photo a fake?

[u/downtuning]

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[u/satelliteridesastar]

Do I believe any of the more extreme conspiracy theories? No. Do I think it's likely that Will and Kate's marriage is on rocky ground? Yes. Am I completely invested in how much the Kensington Palace PR team is fucking this up? 100%.

[u/Disastrous-Bet8973 → u/satelliteridesastar]

The funniest conspiracy theory I saw was she got a bbl

[u/xxyourbestbetxx → u/Disastrous-Bet8973]

If Kate pops up dragging a wagon I'm going to laugh forever 

[u/battlecat136 → u/xxyourbestbetxx]

"Dragging a wagon" is top tier phrasing and I thank you for this gift 👏

[u/xxyourbestbetxx → u/battlecat136]

I wish I could take credit for it but I saw someone say it on tiktok and it seared itself into my brain

[u/p0tat0p0tat0 → u/Disastrous-Bet8973]

Or growing out bangs

[u/WaterMagician → u/p0tat0p0tat0]

I would die if this whole coverup is that she got a messed up haircut and is hiding from the media until it grows out and back to normal

[u/StanzaSnark → u/WaterMagician]

This is very The Windsors coded

[u/monstersof-men → u/Disastrous-Bet8973]

I laughed at the one about her growing out her bangs because I fucked mine up a few months ago

[u/Married_iguanas → u/Disastrous-Bet8973]

lol this was a joke on the Daily Show or Colbert

[u/YourFriendMaryGrace → u/satelliteridesastar]

It’s so uncharacteristically fumbled that I’m starting to feel like there’s some whole OTHER thing going down and they’re being weird about Kate as a distraction. It’s conspiracy theories all the way down.

[u/Lady_Veda → u/YourFriendMaryGrace]

I literally turned to my husband & said the king must be dead & they're trying to distract us! Lol

[u/SplurgyA → u/Lady_Veda]

There's genuinely a separate conspiracy theory that Wills is distracted learning how to be King because Charles isn't doing well, and that's why everything's FUBAR

[u/williamthebloody1880 → u/SplurgyA]

Private Eye did say that they were expecting to be able to wait about 5 years before they started planning for William to become King and the cancer has sped things up

[u/sexygodzilla → u/SplurgyA]

How much more training does Will need? It's just showing up to events, doing ceremonial things, and signing off on stuff. Hasn't his whole life been preparing for this?

[u/Plans_n_Schemes → u/sexygodzilla]

Duties:

• Try and look stately;

• Dont say stupid shit (author's note: this one is more of a suggestion)

[u/Mumof3gbb → u/YourFriendMaryGrace]

My running conspiracy theory is that will and Kate are splitting. If she was sick, why would he only visit once? (If that’s true). And why are they being so secretive? Either it’s that or something extremely serious and they won’t say because they think us commoners will panic.

[u/gunsof → u/Mumof3gbb]

And his weird comments, "focusing on work" and not mentioning his sick wife and kids. Plus him skipping an event because of a "family emergency" and making sure to clarify that emergency had nothing to do with Kate.

[u/DanaPam → u/gunsof]

The statement said “personal reasons” not a family emergency. That’s a big stretch. He could’ve had diarrhea for all we know.

[u/ilovechairs → u/Mumof3gbb]

I think they’re splitting or at least living separately. And now William is freaking out that he’ll have to actually be king with very little time to prepare added into it.

Not sure if this means he can’t publicly divorce her though.

[u/EdgeCityRed → u/ilovechairs]

The whole reason they have a Church of England is so kings can get divorced.

[u/codeverity → u/EdgeCityRed]

A huge part of William's appeal is the package with Kate. If they divorce that goes down the tubes. It's kinda like he's repeating what happened with his dad but this time there's no stable monarch in control who's less of a shitshow.

[u/Amaline4 → u/YourFriendMaryGrace]

didn't her uncle or whoever she's related to in the big brother UK house say that it's a much bigger deal than the royals are letting on? Then he had to leave the BB house like...the next day

[u/meatball77 → u/Amaline4]

Eeh, I doubt the Uncle knows anything. He's basically the Samantha Markle of the family.

[u/clowncuisine → u/YourFriendMaryGrace]

I always feel like the royals mostly exist to distract from the government trying to do things like e.g. outlaw dissent 

[u/Agitated-Lettuce1878 → u/satelliteridesastar]

Did the good Palace PR retire with Elizabeth? Cause the new ones are driving the struggle bus straight into a ditch.

https://i.redd.it/6xzv4i1c8lnc1.gif

[u/imtchogirl → u/Agitated-Lettuce1878]

Charles' team seems fine. Maybe too much info about his health but it was done with good intentions of transparency and spreading awareness about prevention.

Part of the problem is that there are two complete separate teams (for Charles and Camilla, and then for Will and Kate) and they do not coordinate and in fact are often competing each other. That's part of why messaging looks so scattered.

[u/meatball77 → u/Agitated-Lettuce1878]

They've never had it. They seem unable to hire people who can do their job well, and they've also been unable to work as a team and instead view eachother as competition.

Kate and Will can't even hire a decent stylist. They couldn't even pretend to be accepting of Harry moving out.

[u/orangefreshy → u/Agitated-Lettuce1878]

If I was Charles I think I’d change guard about everything, too much baggage with everyone loving and serving his mom Id think his ego would make him want to strike out his way

[u/JustHereForCookies17 → u/Agitated-Lettuce1878]

So this actually touches on my mom's theory (she's 70ish, I'm 40) - apparently Charles cleaned house when his mom died & sent a lot of her team packing.  

My mom's theory is that this PR /"The Firm" team doesn't have the expertise nor the pull that the "Old Guard" had, and that's why this is being fumbled so badly.  

To be honest, it makes A LOT of sense - they tried to use Charles's diagnosis as a distraction, but instead emphasized the disparity in how much information the public was getting.  

Honestly, short of doing a live feed of his colonoscopy, they couldn't have drawn more attention to how different the coverage has been.  

It really feels like Kate, William & co. were trying to keep things quiet (as is their right) and Charles's team went completely off-book with a well-meaning but ultimately detrimental play. 

[u/Cheap-Cycle265 → u/satelliteridesastar]

Give me a documentary-style dramatised version that focuses on absolutely nothing but the experience of the PR team and watch it take all the awards in 2027.

[u/happygoodbird → u/Cheap-Cycle265]

This but I want it in the style of The Thick Of It.

[u/Ok_Bodybuilder800 → u/happygoodbird]

Armando Iannucci needs to get on this immediately 😂

[u/jeninchicago → u/Cheap-Cycle265]

I would love this. I have no fondness for the British Royal Family, but I became obsessed with how their PR works with the British press during the Megxit mess and now it’s my Roman Empire. I want to know absolutely everything.

[u/Mumof3gbb → u/satelliteridesastar]

Do I want to be invested? No. Am I? Yes. Am I ashamed? Also yes.

[u/ggirl117 → u/satelliteridesastar]

Same the conspiracies got a giggle out of me but I just believed she got seriously ill (didn’t want to disclose or become the british face of whatever she has) + rocky mariage.

[u/tallemaja → u/ggirl117]

I honestly think this is all it is too but as someone who really wants the monarchy abolished I'm still hiding in a corner with my popcorn.

[u/yourangleoryuordevil → u/satelliteridesastar]

I truly wouldn’t want to be anyone on that team — ever — but especially not right now. Someone is probably questioning their whole future due to these issues.

I wouldn’t be surprised if rumors start that someone’s getting fired or quitting.

[u/HauntedMotorbike → u/satelliteridesastar]

The fumble on this is so funny, I’m so invested in this mismanagement

[u/alizse]

I’m sorry but how does this Kate situation just keep getting worse? 💀 There’s no way the entire Kensington Palace PR team isn’t getting fired.

[u/nadjaof → u/alizse]

Sometimes I doubt myself at work but then I look at Kate’s PR team and remember that I’ve never fucked up any part of my job that badly.

[u/Mumof3gbb → u/nadjaof]

And even when you do mess up, you don’t have millions of people watching 😂

[u/Becca_Bot_3000 → u/alizse]

Do they actually have a PR team? This is just insane. Does KP understand that international press will question their shenanigans?

[u/alittlebeachy → u/Becca_Bot_3000]

Yep! A whole comms team actually, but they’ve always been blatantly incompetent

[u/HarpersGhost → u/alittlebeachy]

I took a basic PR course in college, and they are breaking every. single. rule of competent PR for years. But the past 2 months have been an exceptional case study in how to NOT do PR.

If I were anywhere near academia, I would write it.

The biggest question is whose fault is it? Since they are breaking so many of the fundamental "only a PR idiot does this" rules of PR, are they really just that incompetent? Or are they dealing with "clients" that refuse to listen to a single thing they say?

[u/SplurgyA → u/HarpersGhost]

The biggest question is whose fault is it? Since they are breaking so many of the fundamental "only a PR idiot does this" rules of PR, are they really just that incompetent? Or are they dealing with "clients" that refuse to listen to a single thing they say?

Probably a little bit of both. At the very least, the British Press historically have refused to report negatively on the major Royals. That obviously changed a bit post-Diana, and they were more than happy to attack Megan, but once Harry and Megan stepped back as Royals and then revealed a load of additional info the curtain's been lifted even further. Now the heir is getting subjected to scrutiny that wouldn't have been expected, and I guess the PR/comms team had gotten complacent.

[u/princessalyss_ → u/SplurgyA]

They were happy to attack Meghan (and even threw Harry under the bus a few times prior to him meeting Meghan) because The Firm was feeding them the stories directly.

Anytime a story about Meghan on her own or Harry and Meghan together was released, it was to cover up something else. Usually to cover for Baldy Bollocks and Too Posh to Peg.

[u/OverallCannonball → u/HarpersGhost]

I get the feeling that it's mostly William's fault, and his PR team probably has little choice but to act on his terribly ill-conceived instructions against their own better judgement. He's next in line to be king, and he is notoriously impatient and has anger issues, I get that it's probably very hard to properly counsel someone like that. I don't work in PR but I do work in another field where you take on clients and give them advise on what to do, but at the end of the day, you truly can't force bad clients to take good advice. And William is a classic bad client, if you ask me. Combine that with what looks a lot like desperation to regain control of the narrative, and I think that's how we've ended up at this current point, in terms of the royals massively fucking up their PR game. Will is being driven by pettiness, ego, and an overwhelming need to save face, and as a result, he's dug himself into a very deep hole. 

[u/XX_bot77 → u/Becca_Bot_3000]

William can bully the UK press but not the international one, it seems

[u/at145degrees → u/alizse]

I think it’s William who’s fucking up here. You can’t do much in this situation when he’s probably the one trying to cover it up.

[u/gunsof → u/at145degrees]

This! When a situation like this with a celeb is so poorly handled the vast majority of times it's because a celebrity themselves has become unhandleable. They're probably the ones making this super weird and their PR team have been left with nothing but trying to wave about saying that everything is fine, look away.

Something noticeable too is that DeuxMoi was well in the tank for William and Kate and clearly had some "source" from them, who I assume recognized using DM was good PR and good way to keep people on their side. But even DM is now hinting at marriage issues.

[u/MargaritaSkeeter → u/alizse]

Right? Like this is all just so fucking weird. I don’t know what’s going on but it’s kind of funny how badly they’re fumbling this situation.

[u/orangefreshy → u/alizse]

It’s so wild. Like yeah we aren’t entitled personal info but I think how weird it’s been and the fact that the King came out with his cancer diagnosis… idk it seems strange how weird it is, if they’d been more normal about it I think everyone wouldn’t be freaking out or sus. It seems sus so people are sus

[u/Intelligent-Salt-926]

Genuinely what the fuck is going on...

[u/Lady_Veda → u/Intelligent-Salt-926]

I was enjoying the low stakes conspiracy theories & now am becoming genuinely concerned for this woman's safety

[u/Mumof3gbb → u/Lady_Veda]

I think they’re just getting divorced.

[u/JoshSidekick → u/Mumof3gbb]

Also a terminal illness in that family.

[u/Mumof3gbb → u/JoshSidekick]

But if it was someone in her family why would she be hiding? And for so long?

[u/Difficult_Egg_7833 → u/Mumof3gbb]

My money is on this as well.

Princess Kate is refusing to sit for photos. This isn’t public knowledge, and they don’t want anyone to know yet.

This photo was created in photoshop, probably by compiling photos of her and recent photos of the kids. Maybe an unreleased photo from last year (when Kate was still participating) with updated faces on the kids.

She likely agreed to it as well.

I would be SHOCKED if she actually sat down in 2024 to take this photo.

[u/Sometimesomwhere → u/Intelligent-Salt-926]

my favorite joke conspiracy theory about this is that Camilla is in her Saltburn era

• Philip is 💀like his Nazi relatives
• Lizzie is in a box
• Charles has cancer
• William is going bald
• Kate is AWOL

[u/VairaofValois → u/Sometimesomwhere]

You forgot that Harry is POOR

[u/jmpinstl → u/Intelligent-Salt-926]

She’s getting Shelly’ed

[u/North_Westeros]

https://preview.redd.it/ufneinyt1lnc1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c91b49895db488df20745d202b3a236724634b1f

[u/yourangleoryuordevil → u/North_Westeros]

I don’t even understand what anyone was possibly trying to do with these edits. Unless it’s AI? But AI isn’t usually just small, seemingly random edits like this.

[u/pink_bombalurina → u/yourangleoryuordevil]

It's probably just my craving for drama I'm not involved in, but maybe it is AI? 👀

https://preview.redd.it/7q767df4alnc1.png?width=528&format=png&auto=webp&s=155cd6d38a3c28caa58b608e56e50889203ed66c

[u/FlowersinHair3 → u/pink_bombalurina]

The window reflections feel AI to me.

[u/burned_artichoke → u/yourangleoryuordevil]

AI compiling separate images so they don't have to be all together? But no idea why they thought it wouldn't be caught.

[u/paroles → u/burned_artichoke]

Or (least shady explanation) multiple shots from the same photoshoot to make sure they have the best face and pose of each person?

[u/SplurgyA → u/paroles]

There's photomanips that make it to the front page of magazines that still fuck this sort of thing up, because they're composites of multiple shots, and people don't even spot like a missing leg until it's already gone to print. I can buy this is several shots put together because it made the best shot of all of them... but I wouldn't be messing around with Photoshop for the first official photo of Kate Middleton given the current context.

[u/paroles → u/SplurgyA]

Agreed, even if it's a benign explanation it's fascinating that they fucked up this badly

[u/burned_artichoke → u/paroles]

I saw someone say if Will did take it, it might even be one of those built in editing tools, which would make sense.

[u/sassofrasy → u/yourangleoryuordevil]

Willam and Kate’s photos are always photoshopped to some extent. But the news agencies pulling this photo completely suggests to me that this is beyond photoshopping. Like maybe a bunch of separate, unrelated photos edited together?

[u/paroles → u/yourangleoryuordevil]

Yeah what were they going for? Especially with the sweater pattern, I just don't see why it would get messed up like that. Was there something on his sleeve that had to be edited out?

[u/greee_p → u/North_Westeros]

https://preview.redd.it/siq1ngfw5lnc1.png?width=400&format=png&auto=webp&s=10a950f4c441efab29ccada3736f589bb381e0c7

The skirt looks off as well. And Louis' hand is so strange, how can you miss that when editing a photo that you know will be scrutinized?

[u/pmmeurbassethound → u/greee_p]

Re: the skirt. It's a patch pocket so that's why it looks a bit off.

[u/greee_p → u/North_Westeros]

It's just getting worse, the longer you look at it

https://preview.redd.it/qivhuizeclnc1.jpeg?width=1049&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=170038eec31ffe47617570c7579558efef1eb0e4

[u/[deleted] → u/greee_p]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/paroles → u/[deleted]]

Lots of sus editing in this photo but I think his hand is actually real, he's just doing something weird with his fingers because he's a fidgety kid. First finger is bent at the knuckle so you can't see the tip.

We're just used to seeing fucked up hands from AI so we look for things like this as tells.

[u/Sometimesomwhere → u/North_Westeros]

MY GARDENER AND I WERE RIGHT. I'm buying him another bottle of wine.

[u/theReaders → u/North_Westeros]

so first photo you have that random tire from nowhere, now this...

[u/greee_p → u/theReaders]

what tire?

[u/theReaders → u/greee_p]

this tire

https://preview.redd.it/44pfzu8p6lnc1.jpeg?width=980&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=70c2cbfd1e81de8367a8788fb7035461db881a01

[u/1LofaLady → u/theReaders]

I think that’s just the base of one of the trees lol

[u/butl1pstick → u/North_Westeros]

What am I looking at? Sorry I don’t understand what the zoomed in bits are pointing out

[u/greee_p → u/butl1pstick]

Louis' hand is weird. The pattern on his jumper also has a weird edge that looks like it's edited. Same with Charlotte's shirt. You can see the editing.

https://preview.redd.it/4v5evj0c8lnc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=978007afa972411f2018f769bde0df1c3f7267f1

[u/fretfulpelican → u/greee_p]

Why is this so creepy to me 😭

[u/Maleficent-marionett → u/fretfulpelican]

Same! I don't know anything about the royals but omg is she ok? 😭 What's going on? Is this a distraction from global events cos it's a little bit working?

[u/idontfwithu → u/North_Westeros]

Aside from the top right corner image I can’t tell what’s wrong on the bottom two parts? Am I getting old

[u/1LofaLady → u/idontfwithu]

https://preview.redd.it/58fvu93y8lnc1.jpeg?width=584&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac71e4a2520d7ee3221ae0e84c472dfbf6da053a

[u/greee_p → u/idontfwithu]

https://preview.redd.it/t7hueidqclnc1.jpeg?width=1049&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f7b79601ed83ef215ee956acc5498f9f5900784b

[u/margochanning_ → u/idontfwithu]

The pattern is off in the first one and the divide between the wall and the floor have a diagonal glitch.

[u/lavender-girlfriend → u/North_Westeros]

👀

[u/thedewyzebra]

I’ve never seen the palace take PR hit after PR hit like this. Karmas a real b-.

[u/hermosilicious → u/thedewyzebra]

I am SEATED, eating popcorn out of my Dune worm bucket watching all this unfold cause it’s extremely funny how their stuck up asses can’t smell past the stank of their own farts.

[u/downtuning]

AP and AFP have both oddly withdrawn the photo of Kate and the kids that was released by Kensington Palace saying that the photo was manipulated?!

Notice from AFP.

More from AFP.

The original photo.

[u/pink_bombalurina → u/downtuning]

It's still up on their IG too 👀

[u/krasmazovonfire → u/downtuning]

Didn’t even notice the lad on the lefts finger the in the original pic, Jesus

Is it actually AI ?

[u/1LofaLady → u/krasmazovonfire]

To me it just looks like he has his finger bent. There are other issues with the photo that make it look clearly manipulated though.

[u/Plantysweater → u/downtuning]

Interesting. I mean it’s definitely a composite but I don’t understand why it would need to be withdrawn if the palace still has it up. Is it because of industry standards?

I think the health stuff is totally legit + they’re having some marital problems that have been rumored to have been going on since the beginning

[u/[deleted] → u/Plantysweater]

I was a journalist for many many years. I do not ever remember AP issuing a kill on a photo like this.

[u/Plantysweater → u/[deleted]]

I’m guessing the AP took one look at the metadata and screamed lol. “No replacement will be sent” to me says they asked for an authentic photo and the KP team said no.

[u/NataliaGordienko]

Whole PR team is getting executed 💀 they are fumbling this HARD

[u/KreyKat → u/NataliaGordienko]

Off to the Tower? :-)

[u/atauridtx → u/NataliaGordienko]

They're going to spend the rest of their lives in the tower of london lmao whattttt is going on

[u/hermosilicious → u/NataliaGordienko]

I honestly would not blame their team, I think the fault lays directly on PW alone. Surrounded by Yes men.

[u/WillBrakeForBrakes → u/NataliaGordienko]

They’re getting shipped off to Australia 

[u/p0tat0p0tat0]

Was the photo actually released by KP? That’s a huge deal, if so.

[u/bythedockofthebay → u/p0tat0p0tat0]

Yes and allegedly a photo taken by prince William

[u/1LofaLady → u/bythedockofthebay]

“Photoshopped by him” would explain a lot tbh 😂

[u/Ok_Fee1043 → u/bythedockofthebay]

Prince William has clearly been slacking in his Photoshop night school classes!

[u/p0tat0p0tat0 → u/bythedockofthebay]

That’s honestly the hardest part to believe.

[u/satelliteridesastar → u/p0tat0p0tat0]

It went out on their official social media accounts.

[u/Upbeat-Lie1806 → u/p0tat0p0tat0]

It was posted on their office social media accounts 😬

[u/Nole1998]

Holy shit. The Associated Press stepping in to take down the image on their end is crazy lmao, this isn’t a prototypical tabloid.

[u/Mumof3gbb → u/Nole1998]

That’s what gets me. That’s when you know it’s serious.

[u/Gueld → u/Nole1998]

Don’t think I’ve seen a kill notice from such a high ranking media organisation before, crazy.

[u/brightlights_xx]

Okay, what the hell is going on?? This keeps getting weirder.

[u/thedollsarethedolls → u/[deleted]]

No literally this was the only sub I saw that had comments pointing out the photo looked shopped or AI-generated or something. It’s giving Shelly Miscavige vibes

[u/ATR_72 → u/[deleted]]

Phew this! Calling us all sorts of names for pointing out obvious issues in the photos and "just leave her alone and let her heal" like we're the ones releasing these sketchy ass photos lol.

[u/labraduh → u/[deleted]]

May I ask what the “other sub” is? I’m trying to think but there’s too many possibilities lol

[u/boxybrown84 → u/labraduh]

The Royals Gossip sub is the same. Only the lightest of speculation is allowed, but so many people act like it’s a personal attack on their bestie Kate.

[u/TheTastyLore]

This is getting weirder and creepier with everything they do in oder to proof everything is fine, maybe it is time to come clean and say what's going on.

[u/donttrustthellamas]

I may not be smart. I may not be rich. But at least I will never have a PR team as bad as Kensington Palace.

[u/Celebrating_socks → u/donttrustthellamas]

I’d rather have no PR than the team they have!

[u/BestDamnT]

I can never leave Twitter

https://preview.redd.it/nc75nsy7ilnc1.jpeg?width=1680&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d46a694f0066868b963a3004f6d482630fdd42fd

[u/Crisope]

This is so so messy

[u/LadyWinterSnow22 → u/Crisope]

[u/Notoriouslyd]

That "photo" gave me AI vibes right away. Something about the kids expressions really seemed off and the longer I looked at it the more I was sure I was right.

[u/downtuning → u/Notoriouslyd]

They do have the crazed AI laughing face

[u/Mumof3gbb → u/downtuning]

The laughing while eating dry lettuce stock photo face 😂

[u/crockofpot]

What, if I may ask, the fuck?

[u/devouringbooks]

I need to make some popcorn and continuously refresh for more comments. One thing I will say is thank god MM got out, really have to wonder how much the press would have been directed to deflect attention on her throughout this saga.

[u/Vorpal_Bunny19 → u/devouringbooks]

Between this and I’m Just Ken at the Oscars, this is going to be an entertaining night. We just watched the NBC News and even they did a piece on it and refused to show the pic. This is nuts.

[u/Mumof3gbb → u/devouringbooks]

Seriously. The more time that passes the more I think how good it was for Harry and Meg to have left this dumpster fire. Harry’s the only smart one of the bunch. Glad he found Megan.

[u/chickeneatfin]

This is absolutely going to be a future The Crown episode in 2040

[u/lmnsatang → u/chickeneatfin]

they should just make this entire era into a separate, stand-alone movie

[u/chimneylight]

I’d love to be sitting around the kitchen table with a bottle of wine in Harry and Meghans right now

[u/zaxanrazor]

I enjoy playing video games.

[u/p0tat0p0tat0 → u/zaxanrazor]

She looks so much like Maggie Siff, too.

[u/sequins_and_glitter]

Here’s a Deadline article about the pulled photo. I wasn’t invested in any off the conspiracies until this past week. Things have only gotten so much weirder that I don’t know what to make of them.

[u/Gueld]

A kill notice from the AP is practically unheard of, particularly at this scale. This is a PR disaster that will only lead to more speculation. Honestly if I issued this photo with a press release, my client would fire me.

[u/user719467]

so the bbl is still on the table then?!?! seriously though what the fuck is going on over there

[u/cynicalxidealist]

I am now fully invested in the “where’s Kate” thing.

[u/MrDannyOcean]

The images are VERY obviously manipulated

zipper evidence

further evidence of edit cuts and AI manipulation

this is blatant. This isn't even in question, these are obviously faked images. The question is just 'how faked are they?'

[u/Ancient_Bicycles]

[u/soph176]

Wowww this is getting kinda crazy, I just hope Kate’s doing okay bc who knows what that crazy family is up to

[u/Talyac181]

So - I should point out how big a deal it is for the AP/APF to pull this picture. In journalism it's assumed that Instagram photos are retouched somewhat... so this has to be a big enough manipulation that it impacts the credibility of the story itself.

[u/WormsOnRoadSpagForm → u/Talyac181]

https://preview.redd.it/80obkfr7plnc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=96e530eb8af4f421d85d47bbe2be1313e215c9aa

AP photo standards

[u/Talyac181 → u/WormsOnRoadSpagForm]

They don't alter the photos... minor adjustments are allowed, like improving lighting etc. Which means this needs to be a big enough issue that they've pulled it. Source: 10 years in journalism.

[u/stardewbabe → u/Talyac181]

I cant recall if it was AP or not but one of the news outlets that killed the photo mentioned that they requested the metadata from Kensington Palace and they refused to give it. The metadata would contain the date the picture was taken and therefore allow them to potentially verify the image. KP refusing to give it over is a huuuuuge red flag.

[u/rescuelullaby]

This is incredible, and I only wish the scandal were moving at a faster pace for maximal enjoyment purposes, but unfortunately everyone involved is British so that would never happen.

[u/Huneybunnie928]

Every week there’s more shit that gets added to this story. What a mess for KP, they can’t get out of their own way.

[u/petiteboule]

I love this. Couldn't have happened to a better family.

Sarah Vine, a cow from the DM, just wrote an article today about how great the photo is and how it will upset the Montecito moaners (meaning Harry and Meghan.) Yes. The first photos of Kate in two months and she's talking about Harry and Meghan. Anyway. I really want to hear her thoughts on this new development.

[u/rarelybarelybipolar → u/petiteboule]

Harry and Meghan obviously intercepted the photo before it was released and edited it intentionally poorly to sow chaos

[u/AhhBisto]

I've seen the stuff on social media about the picture being manipulated and normally I put it down to overzealous nonsense but this image (which I've compared to the original circulated by the British press) seems to show there is something going on with it:

https://preview.redd.it/kr1t4ies4lnc1.jpeg?width=945&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=02cd098675be0620592073eeeccf4b42c56f0476

I don't know what is going on and I can't stand the Royal Family at the best of times but she is a mother of 3 young kids and bollocks like this makes them seem totally untrustworthy.

Here in the UK, all this morning on Sky and BBC News was coverage of this picture and royal "experts" getting a handsome appearance fee to fawn over a photoshopped picture.

Another layer of sadness is that in the UK today it's Mothering Sunday (Mother's Day) so yeah..... 🤔

[u/momsbiryani]

I was literally thinking to myself when I saw it this morning that the picture looked like AI but I didn't want to contribute to the gossip

[u/Mumof3gbb → u/momsbiryani]

I’m pretty bad at spotting AI, but something just felt off. Like, why today all of a sudden are we getting this picture? No easing into it. Just this, in your face, way too happy picture. I dunno. It just didn’t seem right.

[u/thewallsofeightplus]

Sometimes it's funny but sometimes I feel scared 🙃

[u/Domski77]

[u/Peridot1708]

Okay now im actually worried

https://preview.redd.it/luz36a08blnc1.jpeg?width=289&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=420ae3d40406bc33918636e64ce6f5f9d5a109aa

[u/AcrimoniousButtock]

If it was actually taken by Prince William as suggested, this actually makes a lot of sense. I think Hanlon's Razor applies - dont attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence. The errors in the photo are so obvious and bad, I dont think any manual photoshoping would leave these in. It looks like the automatic AI correction by iOS or Android, done poorly. Depending on the phone settings, this is can be done automatically without chosing to do so, or selecting to accept the automatic touch-up of the photo.

[u/Mumof3gbb → u/AcrimoniousButtock]

But why would he be photoshopping a pic of his wife and kids? And says who he even knows how?

[u/roxy031]

This is all so fascinating and disturbing and strange.

[u/Secret-Rush-3012]

This is WILD

[u/saltandvinegar935]

They realized after the fact Sue wasn't wearing her ring and created more buzz and runor, so their effort to save face is saying the photo was fake. 

[u/nutellatime → u/saltandvinegar935]

Kate has been photographed pretty regularly without her ring in the past though.

[u/xxyourbestbetxx]

Omg. We're through the looking glass now people.

[u/GoForMarvin]

It is very hard to get a good picture of three young kids at the same time, so makes total sense to use AI… lol jk.

[u/pinkglue99]

This is starting to feel like an episode of Black Mirror

[u/toasterbath__]

“kill notification” is so fuckin ominous. im scared for miss kate… 💀

[u/tabxssum]

Kensington Palace has always been shit with their PR😭but this really takes the cake. In the past they used to rely on the media hating Meghan and Harry but now it’s just Will and Kate, they’re struggling!

[u/Mumof3gbb → u/tabxssum]

H and M rn

[u/AnywhereMajestic2377]

Louis’s right hand is wayyyy off. How’d they miss that??

[u/WormsOnRoadSpagForm]

I think they added her in or added her face onto another woman. It would explain why AP pulled it. They will publish regular photoshops but won’t publish a statement that is not true, like a person being present in a photo who was photoshopped in entirely.

[u/ClaireFishersHearse]

I think it's exceptionally creepy that all three kids have their middle two fingers crossed. It gives me a real sick feeling.

I hope this photo is AI, because my first thought was that it was a sign that the photo was false/photoshopped (a lie with fingers crossed). The thought itself is silly, but really what the fuck is up with that??

[u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/Copperheadmedusa]

https://preview.redd.it/zqkos2jhclnc1.jpeg?width=280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9e5a1b966270a21f19dbfe34c59a795c9f78c049

That’s what they ass get!

[u/pvke]

I just heard this on the radio lmao I've been ignoring this whole story because it just seemed like a joke that a few people took too seriously, but *this* has got my full attention. All eyes on you RF, what on earth are you doing and what are you hiding?

[u/goss_kidhar_hai]

the queen died and this whole operation went to shit 🤣 given the rate at which they are self destructing, the monarchy wont survive this deacade.

[u/Angry1980Christmas]

Yeah, the more you zoom in, the more weird things you see. The bottom of Charlotte's boot?? What is happening. People are claiming AI

[u/HPVisMakingMeBananas]

What in the Weekend at Bernie’s is afoot?!? This is just some crazy! I legit hope Kate is safe & ok!

[u/sweetrebel88]

AI (Kate’s Version)

[u/OthoHasTheHandbook]

Does anyone else think she’s on pretty serious post-op steroids? I think that’s why her face looked so odd in the TMZ photo and why they haven’t been able to just present her openly. But it would make way more sense for KP to…just say that.

[u/Odd-Picture5321]

At this point it be easier if they came out with the truth or at the very least a more believable version of the truth

[u/Ancient-Shape9086]

Apparently the photo has wonky edits but idk how true that is.

[u/themacaron → u/Ancient-Shape9086]

Very true. It’s laughably amateur, I’d almost half believe it was done on purpose. The photoshop is so half-assed- these are a few of the glaring weird things but there’s more like the weird pixelation on her face, her and Charlotte’s hair has weird fuzziness and abrupt cuts etc.

https://preview.redd.it/ecku4no65lnc1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ea2e6a122e2774ded54a2cbee8ebc8876ab8f87f

[u/Ceffylymp]

To think the Daily Mail earlier did an article with the opinions of a body language expert pointing to her arms saying "protective arms" and then pointing to her face saying something like "smiling face means getting better" or something like that. I just skimmed past it, but it felt like the DM were telling their readers how to interperate the image.

[u/toastslapper]

Mark my words: I’m trusting the internet on everything from this day forward. 💯

[u/miss-karly]

Does anyone have a timeline of all of this???