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2023 photo celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 97th birthday may have also been altered: Report

Social media users have claimed that the photo, showing Queen Elizbeth II with some of her grandchildren and great grandchildren, had been altered

Published on: Mar 18, 2024, 08:27:53 IST
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Days after Kate Middleton landed in trouble for her “manipulated” Mother’s Day Photo, it has come to light that another photo, released in 2023, had allegedly also been altered. The photo purportedly taken by Kensington Palace, or maybe Kate herself, was meant to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 97th birthday. The picture has now come under fire as many on social media have claimed that it was clearly altered, edited and manipulated.

A 2023 photo celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 97th birthday may have also been altered: Report (princeandprincessofwales/Instagram)
A 2023 photo celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 97th birthday may have also been altered: Report (princeandprincessofwales/Instagram)

At the time the photo was released last year, Kensington Palace said it was taken by Kate the year before during the family’s trip to Balmoral. The photo featured Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, and grandchildren Mia, Lena, Lucas, Savannah, Isla, James and Lady Louise.

The Prince and Princess of Wales’ X account posted the photo at the time, captioning it, “Today would have been Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s 97th birthday. This photograph - showing her with some of her grandchildren and great grandchildren - was taken at Balmoral last summer.” It credited “The Princess” as the photographer.

Was the photo altered?

The Observer, which is The Guardian’s Sunday paper, noted that it appears as though Prince Louis, the Prince and Princess of Wales’ youngest child, had been moved back in the frame. Zara Tindall’s daughter’s hair also seems to have been copied and pasted.

In a post on X, user Katerina shared the photo in question, pointing out that it seems like it was edited at least in nine places. “Did the late Queen ever pose with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren? Seems like no. This photo, taken by Kate Middleton, was edited at least in 9 places. Now the mass media are reporting about it too,” the user wrote in the caption, marking the “edited” parts in the thread.

Summing it all up, The Observer asked, “How could the news agencies possibly protect their reputations if they did not respond last week to mounting amateur claims that the image was not trustworthy?”

  • Sumanti Sen
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Sumanti Sen

    Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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