Prince William and Princess Catherine were taken aback by the intense and unexpected fallout from a seemingly simple Mother’s Day photo shared earlier this year, which spiralled into a controversy that left both them and their Kensington Palace team shocked by the response.
Writer Robert Hardman discussed the furore surrounding the photo in his book Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at Charles’ first year as King after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth 11.
In an excerpt published in the Mail on Sunday Hardman wrote that both the Prince and Princess of Wales found the reaction to the Mother’s Day photo, “extremely disproportionate.”
The image, featuring Catherine alongside her three children, George, Charlotte, and Louis, was shared to social media on March 10, only to be swiftly withdrawn by news agencies, including The Associated Press, amid allegations of photo manipulation.
In response, Reuters, Getty, AFP and Associated Press issued a “kill notice” for the photo and advised it would be deleted from their libraries.
However, Hardman thought that the decision “seemed an oddly exaggerated, almost performative, response”.
“The industry’s concerns about the threat of artificial intelligence (AI) to the integrity of mainstream photography were well known,” he wrote.
“There were several factors. Anything written or said about the Princess of Wales at that point was at fever pitch and front page news.
“It also spoke to the nervousness of the photography industry around AI and their future. Even so, the reaction seemed extremely disproportionate.”
The Princess of Wales later apologised for releasing the photograph and tried to explain her actions in an official statement.
“Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing,” she wrote.
“I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused.
“I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C.”
She later revealed, in an emotional video message, that she had been diagnosed with cancer and would be taking time away as she underwent treatment.
Following a prolonged absence from the public eye, Catherine eased concerns for her well-being in June when she announced that she was “making good progress” in her cancer battle and would be attending this year’s Trooping the Colour.
Her return to public life was met with an outpouring of support and admiration. Catherine’s appearance at Trooping the Colour garnered overwhelming fanfare, and she was warmly welcomed with a standing ovation upon her arrival at this year’s Wimbledon tournament.
-with Reuters.