Kate’s doctored photo is particularly troubling – presenting big questions for the Royal Family
The Princess of Wales has taken the blame. She has apologised for the doctored Mother’s Day photograph, which was issued officially on behalf of the Royal Family.
“Give her a break”, she’s been in hospital and is recuperating after serious abdominal surgery, sums up a widespread mood of forgiveness.
“What does it matter?” chorus those eager to move on to more “serious” issues.
Sympathy for Kate, and what could be her understandable carelessness, should not wipe away concerns raised by the curious case of the altered snapshot.
This seemingly trivial matter touches on the credibility of the mainstream media in the photoshop era and the fair and accurate reporting of the monarchy and the Royal Family, who are the taxpayer-funded and government-enabled titular heads of the British state.
The Royal Family enjoy enormous privilege in exchange for living in a goldfish bowl. They are subject to public scrutiny because their function is to preside over and represent the nation in public.
The unforced error of the picture has led to global speculation on the state of Kate’s health and marriage.
This incident is also an indicative battle in the existential war between truth and fake news. That explains why the world’s five leading news agencies, including Reuters and Associated Press, took the dramatic step of issuing a kill notice on a picture they had distributed.
Read more:
Here’s what the data says about Kate’s edited photo
Agency Reuters issued a ‘kill’ notice for the image. Pic: Reuters
It could be a fuss about nothing. A busy mother inexpertly tinkering with the folds of clothing in a picture which she knew were going to be viewed by millions. We will never know unless the “Palaces” – either Kensington or Buckingham – publish the source material on which Kate, if it were Kate, was working.
The unreliable photo is particularly troubling because there was nothing forcing the Waleses to give it out. It was distributed to gain advantage and scotch public curiosity aroused by Kate and her three children staying out of sight since the beginning of this year.
Picture editing is nothing new
Crude airbrushing and cropping of images have gone on since William Fox Talbot invented photography. Alterations were obvious. Professional photographers were even expected “to touch up” the portraits they took.
Drastic doctoring of photographs used to be an almost comical trope associated with dictatorships. Whoops, there goes Trotsky who used to be standing next to Lenin!
In free societies, artfully posed official portraits were welcomed. Independent photographers were also given access to take pictures for themselves. As a result, the public also got to see shots of politicians and dignitaries grimacing, alone or at each other, or even nodding off at official functions.
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How Kate doctored royal picture
Not cheating with photographs matters more today because it is so easy to do it. Anyone with a smartphone or laptop has a camera and the tools for editing at their fingertips.
Once digital copies are made it seems to be practically impossible to detect the full extent of manipulation that has taken place. For example, nobody has established definitively whether the picture of Prince Andrew with his arm around 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre is genuine or fake, as he has suggested.
Charlotte’s cuff, Kate’s zip, Louis’s jumper, the wonky skirting board and window frame – glitches have been spotted in the picture. Experts cannot confirm whether or not bigger changes were made.
They have identified at least three separate attempts to alter the central area of the picture, where the family are depicted.
Some media-savvy celebrities worked out how to exploit the public’s taste for candid photographs with studied informality. Who can forget Diana sitting alone outside the Taj Mahal or arriving dressed-to-kill at the Serpentine gala?
Diana’s famous photo outside the Taj Mahal, with William and Kate at the same spot. Pic: AP
William has combined his mother’s taste for informality with a fierce desire to protect his and his family’s privacy. In place of stiffly-posed shoots, the Waleses got into the habit of releasing pictures on red letter days taken by Kate, “a keen amateur photographer”.
Only a bit better than what could have been shot by the average mum, her pictures gave a winning impression of unstuffy informality. This has now backfired given the possibility that the family may have been unable to muster a spontaneous image of relaxed happiness for this year’s Mothers’ Day.
The media’s unique offering
Keeping photography in the Royal Family satisfied the public appetite for pictures, while maintaining absolute control by the Prince and Princess of what we got to see. A similar desire for control is manifested by Kensington Palace, and for that matter Downing Street.
Both have appointed official photographers in recent years, consequently excluding independent professionals from some photo opportunities. Number 10 only released the pictures taken at COVID “parties” when they were forced to by official investigations.
As sources of pictures have proliferated and the struggle for access has intensified, mainstream news organisations have had to take care of what they, uniquely, can offer – fair and accurate reporting.
The Prince of Wales during a visit to a charity youth zone, in a picture taken by the Press Association. Pic: PA
This includes taking great pains to verify what they distribute. Most reputable news organisations have been caught out by fakes and occasionally distorted their own analogue material in the past.
They have had to tighten up their procedures to deal with the growing ease with which fakes can be produced by anyone so inclined. The picture agencies put out the royal photo in good faith – it had come from an impeccable source after all – but on closer examination their trust was misplaced.
Citizen journalists, people offering their own material for use in reporting, have turned out to be unreliable.
Some, like those trying to get mentioned as “Hugh Janus” or “Ivor Bigun” on phone-ins, are out for a laugh.
Others, such as those who send in images of breaking news events, but which were actually taken elsewhere, just want to take part.
Then there are those who deliberately put out fake material to back up their argument and, just as dangerous, conspiracy theorists who try to discredit accurate material on the grounds that it has been faked.
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Where is Kate? A timeline of events
Reputational minefield
As ever in the IT age, the US has led with the promulgation of fake news, including doctored pictures of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The UK is following. To give just one example, an AI-generated soundbite, allegedly spoken by Sir Keir Starmer, was recently widely circulated and discredited.
Monitoring and annulling fake material will inevitably be one of the mainstream media’s most important functions in this year’s elections.
Once one thing turns out to be questionable, bigger questions arise. The Royal Family’s partial openness about the King’s cancer and Kate’s operation without specifics has inevitably raised more questions than answers – likewise William’s sudden withdrawal from his godfather’s memorial for a vague “personal matter”.
Now the Royal Family have stumbled into a reputational minefield with their doctored picture.
Questions are not only being asked in the “sewer” of the internet, as Britain’s official royal correspondents are reporting dismissively.
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‘An intern doing that wouldn’t get a job’
Kate has explained the photo ‘editing’ – but is it enough?
Major foreign news outlets, including US network television, are openly speculating about William and Kate’s relationship.
The quickest way to dispel doubts will be if Kate is able to resume her full programme of public engagements after Easter, as expected.
The Waleses are not the only ones whose reputations are on the line.
The mainstream media are also under pressure to report truth as never before. Forgiveness, alas, is not the same as restoring trust.
One man has been arrested, and further suspects are being traced, after 21 people needed medical attention following a “pepper spray” incident at London’s Heathrow Airport.
Officers were called at 8.11am on Sunday to a multi-storey car park at Terminal 3 following reports of multiple people being assaulted, said the Metropolitan Police.
A statement from the force said: “Armed officers responded to the incident and arrested a 31-year-old man on suspicion of assault, within nine minutes of the report coming in.
“He remains in custody and enquiries remain ongoing to locate further suspects.”
What we know so far:
• Police say a group of four men “robbed a woman of her suitcase” in a car park lift
• They sprayed a substance believed to be pepper spray in her direction
• People in the lift and the surrounding area were impacted
• Those directly involved are “known to each other”
• A total of 21 people were treated at the scene, including a three-year-old
• Passengers faced delays and difficulties accessing the airport
• Most of the disruption has now cleared
Fire engines responding to the incident at Heathrow Airport. Pic: @_umarjaved
Met Police Commander Peter Stevens said on Sunday afternoon that the force believes “a woman was robbed of her suitcase by a group of four men, who sprayed a substance believed to be pepper spray in her direction”.
“This occurred within a car park lift, with those in the lift and surrounding area affected by the spray,” he continued.
“Our officers are working to determine the full circumstances around what happened but we do believe this to be an isolated incident with those directly involved known to each other.”
London Ambulance Service attended the scene and treated 21 people, including a three-year-old girl. Five people were taken to hospital. Their injuries are not believed to be life-changing or life-threatening.
There was some disruption to traffic in the area and Terminal 3 remains open.
Eyewitness describes ‘absolutely terrifying’ ordeal
Witness Tom Bate told Sky’s Matt Barbet that he saw three “young men, dressed in black with their heads covered” suddenly bolt from the elevator area.
That’s when “people started coughing”, he said. “Suddenly… everyone in the room was coughing, including me, and there was a burning in my throat.
“It was one of the weirdest things I’ve ever experienced.”
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‘Significant incident’ at Heathrow Airport
Mr Bate was in the multi-storey car park at Terminal 3, having just landed from Dallas, Texas.
As he was leaving the car park, he saw “10-20 armed police officers” run in.
“The [police] did, in fact, point their gun at someone and order him to the ground and detain him,” he said. “And they got me out of the vehicle to ID the person.”
Mr Bate described the incident as “pretty intense” and “absolutely terrifying”.
‘Significant incident’
The London Ambulance Service said a “significant incident” was declared and there was a “full deployment” of resources. A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said it was also called to the incident.
Heathrow advised passengers to allow extra time when travelling to the airport and to check with their airline for any queries.
Some passengers said they were forced to wait three hours for a shuttle bus to the long-stay car park after their flight. The service usually runs every 15 minutes.
Bottles of water were handed out by staff to people waiting for buses from Terminal 3.
There was disruption to train and Tube services, with some delays on the Elizabeth Line and the Piccadilly Line, but all lines are now operating normally.
A queue to exit the Elizabeth Line at Heathrow after the incident. Pic: PA
Traffic also piled up at the M4 junction for the airport but this has since cleared.
People on social media said vehicles were being searched at the airport.
A user on X said there was a “major backlog of cars unable to leave the vicinity or enter the drop-off zone” at Terminal 3.
In footage on X, several armed police were seen in a car park.
Lando Norris won his maiden Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship on Sunday after coming third in the deciding showdown in Abu Dhabi.
The accolade wraps up a clean sweep for his McLaren team, after they claimed the Constructors’ Championship in Singapore in October.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the final race of the season from pole position, but Norris coming in third meant the Dutchman was unable to overcome Norris’s season points total of 423 – with Verstappen just two points short.
Norris’s title victory also ends Verstappen’s four-year reign at the top of Formula 1. The Dutchman was hoping to retain his crown and win a record-equalling fifth-straight Drivers’ Championship, which would have seen him draw level with F1 legend Michael Schumacher.
McLaren driver Lando Norris celebrates winning the Formula One world championship after finishing third at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Pic: PA
Norris’s teammate and title rival, Oscar Piastri, finished in second place in the race but third in the overall standings finishing on 410 points.
The 26-year-old Norris is the 11th British driver to win the championship and first since Sir Lewis Hamilton in 2020.
“Thank you guys, oh my God. You have made my dreams come true, thank you so much. I love you guys. Thanks for everything, you deserve it. I love you mum, I love you dad. Thanks for everything. I’m not crying!” he said on the team radio as he crossed the line.
His victory marks a remarkable comeback to secure the title, after falling 34 points behind Piastri following the Dutch Grand Prix in August, when he suffered a late mechanical problem in his car while running second to his Australian teammate.
Lando Norris reacts after becoming a world champion after the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix. Pic: AP
But in the nine grand prix that followed, this was only the second time he was beaten by Piastri in a race.
That sequence saw him secure dominant wins in Mexico and Brazil, putting him in pole position for the maiden title.
“I’ve not cried in a while! I didn’t think I would cry but I did!” Norris to Sky Sports in his post-race interview.
“It’s a long journey. First of all, I want to say a big thanks to my guys, everyone at McLaren, my parents – my mum, my dad – they are the ones who have supported me since the beginning.
McLaren driver Lando Norris during the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Pic: AP
“It feels amazing. I now know what Max feels like a little bit! I want to congratulate Max and Oscar, my two biggest competitors the whole season. It’s been a pleasure to race against both of them. It’s been an honour, I’ve learned a lot from both.
“I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been a long year. We did it and I’m so proud for everyone.”
After conducting celebratory ‘donuts’ on the start-finish straight after completing his slow-down lap, Norris was embraced by his parents, Cisca and Adam, after getting out of the car along with his girlfriend, Margarida Corceiro.
Norris received congratulations from across the globe after his win, including from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
In a post on X, Sir Keir said: “Congratulations @LandoNorris, Britain’s new @F1 champion! An unbelievable season and so well deserved.”
Lottie (right) and her friends watch along at Silverstone
Norris’s fans celebrate in Silverstone
It was clear who fans at this watch party wanted to see win, and they got their wish.
There were cheers, tears and hugs of celebration as Lando Norris became the first Brit to win the World Championship in five years.
“Great race, great result,” says Jamie, who attended the watch party with his girlfriend Lottie. “We cheered every time he came on screen.”
Lottie has seen Norris race at Silverstone before, but today was even more special.
“I’ve never felt like this before,” says Lottie. “It was such an amazing experience.”
She admits, though, that for much of the afternoon she “felt sick,” nervous about how the race would pan out.
Norris only needed to be in the top three to win, but was amongst stiff competition with Max Verstappen and team mate Oscar Piastri hot on his heels.
There were groans in the crowd each time Norris slipped behind, and raucous cheers each time he closed the gap.
But it was the reaction from the Jenner family that caught my attention, crying and embracing each other when it became clear Norris had brought it home.
“The fact he has managed to get here is just everything. It’s amazing,” said Mrs Jenner.
“Pure joy that he had done it, we all love F1 as a family, it just means everything.”
But not everyone was happy. Abhi was among the few who came to support another driver.
“Go Max every time,” he says, admitting that he is “a bit gutted” by the results. “It stings a bit, but that’s the nature of the race.”
When asked what it was like to be one of the only people not there to witness Norris take the win, he says, “I felt a bit intimidated to be honest, and a bit stressed as well, but I held my own.”
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah says he has been “thrown under the bus” by the club, and his relationship with manager Arne Slot has broken down.
The 33-year-old player also suggested that next Saturday’s match against Brighton could be his last for the Reds, who are the reigning Premier League champions.
Speaking after Saturday’s 3-3 draw at Leeds, the Egypt forward told journalists he was in disbelief he had been left on the bench for the third game running.
Salah takes a selfie with fans in April. Pic: Reuters
“I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season,” said Salah, who signed a new deal at Anfield at the end of last season. “Now I’m sitting on the bench, and I don’t know why.
“It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame.
“I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far, I am on the bench for three games so I can’t say they keep the promise.
“I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship. I don’t know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club.”
He joined the club in June 2017, and has been one of the Premier League’s best players.
Asked if his relationship with Slot had broken down, he said: “Yeah, there’s no relationship between us. It was a very good relationship and now all of a sudden there is no relationship.”
Salah will play at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for Egypt on 15 December and has been linked with a January move to the Saudi Pro League.
On Tuesday, Liverpool face Inter Milan away in the Champions League.
Speaking about the Brighton match at Anfield next Saturday, he admitted: “I said to [my family], come to the Brighton game. I don’t know if I am going to play or not, but I am going to enjoy it. In my head, I’m going to enjoy that game because I don’t know what is going to happen now.
“I will be in Anfield to say goodbye to the fans and go the Africa cup. I don’t know what is going to happen when I am there.”
Asked if it could be his final game for Liverpool, Salah said: “In football you never know. I don’t accept this situation. I have done so much for this club.”
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