General News for the Wales Family 1: September 2022-March 2024

[miss whirley]

Catherine posted a statement on their instagram story:
"Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I want 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"

Like I said, classy. Couldn't be me.

 

[Minister of Court]

Dear oh dear… what a palaver.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Catherine posted a statement on their instagram story:
"Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I want 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"

Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's day was the central theme of the photo and somehow that was lost in all of the brouhaha that followed!

 

[Rael]

Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's day was the central theme of the photo and somehow that was lost in all of the brouhaha that followed!

Precisely, and she subtly alluded to it with the last sentence which comes across like a Southern 'bless your heart'.

I like the nature of her response - keeping it as personal as the original post and not making an official statement through the comms team, reiterating that this was a family photograph i.e. they wanted to share an informal picture of their family with the public which is a feature of their family photography, and most importantly, she is not afraid to own up to a mistake and apologise (very few public figures are able to do this with class and simplicity).

The recuperating invalid has now emerged as the calm head in the room showing up all the OTT histrionics over a well-meaning gesture.

 

[shady lady]

Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's day was the central theme of the photo and somehow that was lost in all of the brouhaha that followed!

Exactly. Bonkers. All because of the crazy social media-led world we now find ourselves living in. Oh for a time machine, back to the late 50s early 60s would suit me fine, or even the 80s, when there was none of this nonsense!

Hopefully after sharing this beautiful photograph of her family with us, Catherine can now be left in peace now to continue her recovery.

May God bless and protect TRHs The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children

 

[shady lady]

Precisely, and she subtly alluded to it with the last sentence which comes across like a Southern 'bless your heart'.

I like the nature of her response - keeping it as personal as the original post and not making an official statement through the comms team, reiterating that this was a family photograph i.e. they wanted to share an informal picture of their family with the public which is a feature of their family photography, and most importantly, she is not afraid to own up to a mistake and apologise (very few public figures are able to do this with class and simplicity).

The recuperating invalid has now emerged as the calm head in the room showing up all the OTT histrionics over a well-meaning gesture.

Completely agree. Catherine has such class and style! A perfect response.

I am so looking forward to seeing her when she returns - when she is ready.

 

[An Ard Ri]

All the terrible things that's going on in the world and this is making the headlines!
Toxic Social Media at its worst.

 

[Marengo]

Catherine posted a statement on their instagram story:
"Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I want 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"

A classy statement, not shoving it on the communication team as silence would do but to aknowledge the thing herself. Chapeau!

The statement (so I can test inserting a twitter link):

https://twitter.com/x/status/1767135566645092616

 

[US Royal Watcher]

I, for one, am outraged! Now I wonder whether Catherine has been using make up to look better in her photos.

 

[llj]

I, for one, am outraged! Now I wonder whether Catherine has been using make up to look better in her photos.

LOL!

 

[Adda]

Why is Catherine apologising if William took the photo? HE is the one who has to issue an apology, not her!

Whoever is in charge of their PR since the coronation needs to be sacked as well.

 

[llj]

Why is Catherine apologising if William took the photo? HE is the one who has to issue an apology, not her!

Whoever is in charge of their PR since the coronation needs to be sacked as well.

Catherine is taking responsibility for editing it.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

First, I am confused that these days a simple picture has to be edited in a way that it is being rejected by numerous agencies. Second, if it does need to be edited for whatever reason, why not leave it to the professionals they have around in abundance.
Sorry but this only adds to the strange or clumsy ways the Wales' have with the press.

 

[maria-olivia]

No Pictures taken by the official Court Photograph ??

 

[muriel]

Why is Catherine apologising if William took the photo? HE is the one who has to issue an apology, not her!

Whoever is in charge of their PR since the coronation needs to be sacked as well.

Unless, as suggested in the latest tweet, Catherine made the edits on the picture William took.

 

[Sister Morphine]

First, I am confused that these days a simple picture has to be edited in a way that it is being rejected by numerous agencies. Second, if it does need to be edited for whatever reason, why not leave it to the professionals they have around in abundance.
Sorry but this only adds to the strange or clumsy ways the Wales' have with the press.

Why pay a professional to do a simple edit that most people can figure out to do by Googling it? They have scads more money than I do, so it's not the cost that's the issue, but I don't pay someone to do something for me unless it's beyond my physical or intellectual skillset. I doubt a photo taken on a phone of a woman and her three kids needs such substantial editing that William and/or Catherine couldn't do it with Photoshop and 15 minutes.

There's no blame to be had in this situation. Photo agencies have to be careful of the pictures they run because of AI, deep fakes, and all other sorts of nefarious BS that can be used to deceive people. They're not accusing the Wales' of trying to trick anyone, only that they felt the image was too edited, and their internal rules won't allow them to run it. Don't blame them -- blame the bad actors that made rules like that necessary.

 

[Adda]

Unless, as suggested in the latest tweet, Catherine made the edits on the picture William took.

Even in that case, I don't think she should apologise. If my spouse was recovering from major surgery and did many editing mistakes on a picture I took, I would take on the blame publicly.

But that's just me ofc.

 

[Granada]

Wowza. I honestly didn't think the ridiculous level could go higher than yesterday..... BUT here we are.

All this fuss and angst over a picture that got tweaked. I thought it lovely, I don't know OR care about the anomalies in the "details" regarding hair, fingers and arms.
People are nuts to get worked up over this. A Family picture. Released on Mother's Day taken by William of his Wife, recuperating from a serious abdominal issues, as his Father battles Cancer.

 

[Alisa]

Wow....things are worse at KP than I thought.
Big mistake for the Princess to take the fall for editing the photos.
1. It can open up a can of worms and people are going to look back at all the photos she took in the past.

2. Even if the Princess did edit the photos. It is not her responsibility to edit photos and release. KP has an entire communication and press team whose job and responsibility it is to know the rules and regulations regarding photos and manipulating them. These rules didn't suddenly come about overnight and that's why KP has paid professionals on their team.

 

[moby]

Perfect response! She took responsibility, kept it light and personal, circled back to Mother's Day.
The brouhaha surrounding her absence and the photo really drives home the point though the intense interest in the Waleses, and in Catherine in particular.

 

[camelot23ca]

It was a

Wowza. I honestly didn't think the ridiculous level could go higher than yesterday..... BUT here we are.

All this fuss and angst over a picture that got tweaked. I thought it lovely, I don't know OR care about the anomalies in the "details" regarding hair, fingers and arms.
People are nuts to get worked up over this. A Family picture. Released on Mother's Day taken by William of his Wife, recuperating from a serious abdominal issues, as his Father battles Cancer.

Wowza. I honestly didn't think the ridiculous level could go higher than yesterday..... BUT here we are.

All this fuss and angst over a picture that got tweaked. I thought it lovely, I don't know OR care about the anomalies in the "details" regarding hair, fingers and arms.
People are nuts to get worked up over this. A Family picture. Released on Mother's Day taken by William of his Wife, recuperating from a serious abdominal issues, as his Father battles Cancer.

It was a lovely picture, and people ARE nuts to get worked up over this. In fact, the entire situation with the increasing pressure, conspiracy theories online, the mainstream media reporting on the pressure and conspiracy theories, is all very concerning.

When the news first came out about Catherine’s surgery, I hoped and assumed she and William would be more open about what happened once she was feeling better and back to work. Now I hope they say nothing, period. What the past few weeks have made clear is that a certain segment of the public, and the press, will never be satisfied with any information that they give. A medical leave of absence, with clear information given from the start of Catherine’s expected recovery timeline, leads to ongoing rumours and barely concealed (or even very open) pressure for more information (“why can’t she just release a picture to settle all this speculation?”) A poorly edited, but still very nice picture is described as a disaster, instead of just an unfortunate thing that has no larger meaning and will have no lasting ramifications. The genuine and gracious apology given in response to the photo is picked apart.

This couple is under no obligation to live every part of their lives, and certainly not the painful and traumatic parts, in front of the public. They are not the Kardashians. They are not politicians. Neither of them is the Head of State. They’ve given the public a reason for Catherine’s prolonged absence, as well as a planned timeline for her recovery and return to duties. That’s all they owe the public.

 

[ofkingsandqueens]

First, I am confused that these days a simple picture has to be edited in a way that it is being rejected by numerous agencies. Second, if it does need to be edited for whatever reason, why not leave it to the professionals they have around in abundance.
Sorry but this only adds to the strange or clumsy ways the Wales' have with the press.

Again, the photo wasn’t rejected simply because of editing - the photo was rejected because it was edited and Kensington Palace didn’t tell the photo agency that it was.

 

[SirGyamfi1]

Pretty silly to attempt to discredit AP, Reuters and AFP or question their professionalism. These are well-renowned agencies that have software in place to detect major photo manipulation – whether the source for the photo is William or the guy next door (though obviously the agencies stand to gain a lot more from a picture by William – meaning they need to protect their own credibility as well).

The only ones at fault here are KP for toying with the picture. What's sad is that the overall changes from the original photo are probably barely even noticeable.

Even professionals make mistakes. Reuters and AP are international media, not British media companies. There’s bigger fish to fry than this

 

[MonacoRoyalFan]

"Editorial integrity matters and this is an example of why it becomes dangerous to obstruct the press from covering the royal family (and Govt and others in positions of power).Privacy is important but it can and should be balanced with independent reporting and photography."

- Natasha Hirst, President of the National Union of Journalists.

 

[Somebody]

Is this truly a response to this situation? If so, it is very out of place imho. The Waleses releasing a personal picture accompanying a mother's day message as they've done previously has nothing to do with obstructing the press to do their work and make independent pictures. Once Catherine is back at work the press will be able to do so.

 

[miss whirley]

"Editorial integrity matters and this is an example of why it becomes dangerous to obstruct the press from covering the royal family (and Govt and others in positions of power).Privacy is important but it can and should be balanced with independent reporting and photography."

- Natasha Hirst, President of the National Union of Journalists.

I like how they are all but admitting that the issue is Catherine won't release her private medical information, so they will bait her by other means for it.

 

[MonacoRoyalFan]

Well, let’s be fair: the Palace should have known the rules international press agencies apply to edited/manipulated pictures. So this is totally on the Palace. Lessons should be learned.

Also, mother's day photos are not an annual tradition for Kensington Palace. They have only done so 3 previous times.

Is this truly a response to this situation? If so, it is very out of place imho. The Waleses releasing a personal picture accompanying a mother's day message as they've done previously has nothing to do with obstructing the press to do their work and make independent pictures. Once Catherine is back AT WORK the press will be able to do so.

 

[HenRach Dominion]

I believe we can rightfully criticize the anonymous masses behind social media for the mass hysteria surrounding HRH The Princess of Wales surgery and recovery (which KP have been very forthcoming about) and making more out of an edited picture than necessary without infantilizing TRH The Wales or dismissing legitimate news agencies as clout chasers or reputational hitmen for the couple.

TRH The Wales have been very calculated with regards to how they and their family are seen in the media. They have agreements where they provide access to them/their family in certain instances (ones that highlight areas that are important to them/Great Britain and show them in their best light), while keeping the press away from their private lives. They have stayed silent when any amount of rumors have come up about them, and it's work so far. It's unfortunately for them that the moment they need that privacy the most, the reason is so big that the public's demand for information is greater than usual. They rightfully won't be bullied into giving more private information, but they try to appease the public as much as they're willing to. It just ended up backfiring, a rare misstep for the couple.

News organizations like AP and Reuters aren't tabloids or propaganda agencies. These are legitimate news organizations whose bread and butter are serious news stories like wars, regime changes, history-making moments, etc... They certainly do not need to humiliate TRH The Wales for clout. And although I didn't mind the editing of the picture, those organizations should; even though there's no evidence that HRH The Wales edited their photo for the sake of misleading anyone, others might heavily edit their photos to mislead, and AP and Reuters and Getty and others' accuracy depends on making sure that doesn't happen. On the other side, if they rejected pictures similarly edited based on their standards, then it would be hypocritical to accept TRH The Wales's family photo even if there was no assumption of misleading within it (which none of these new organizations have implied).

Overall, it's a beautiful picture that's been edited to show the subjects in the best light and illustrate that HRH The Princess of Wales is doing well. AP and Reuters and others probably respect the sentiment, but the picture is too edited for their standards to publish. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Erin9]

"Editorial integrity matters and this is an example of why it becomes dangerous to obstruct the press from covering the royal family (and Govt and others in positions of power).Privacy is important but it can and should be balanced with independent reporting and photography."

- Natasha Hirst, President of the National Union of Journalists.

Honestly- I’ve lost a lot of respect for journalists in recent years. They tend to announce “news” without any decent verification so they can be first, make simple mistakes that should have been caught before publication, and couch opinions as facts. Among many many other things.

But THIS they make a big issue out of. A family photo. I’m all for integrity in reporting, but I don’t frankly think there is much left. I give Catherine credit for her classy response and apology. I guess the photo was somehow over edited for their standards. That’s fine, I guess it’s nice they still care about something.….but at the end of the day it is still just a family photo. That’s it.

And they just sound bitter that they don’t have the access THEY want- regarding photos, and I suppose Catherine’s private medical info. I suppose they probably also think they are entitled to more information about Charles. Sounds that way to me.

 

[Sister Morphine]

This isn't about trying to get access to Catherine's medical records (or Charles's, for that matter). It's about KP releasing an edited photo without saying it was edited. No reputable news/photo agency is going to run a picture that has been edited without prior knowledge that it was edited. Doesn't matter if it's of Catherine, Pres. Biden, or a dog doing a pirouette in a tutu.

No one is trying to shame or humiliate Catherine, William, or anyone else.