The Princess of Wales has issued an apology after the photo she posted on social media for Mother’s Day was taken down by five photo agencies because of concerns that it had been “manipulated.” The Princess accepted responsibility for the changes made to the picture, stating that, “[l]ike many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.” Although the adjustments were reportedly minor, they prompted concerns that the photograph was not an accurate portrayal of the family moment that it captured.
The photograph, the first one released since the Princess’s recent surgery, shows her sitting with Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, and Prince George, who has his arms wrapped around her. It was intended to be a personal picture rather than a professional one, but its removal from official channels prompted questions about the use of images produced without independent journalists being present to verify their authenticity.
The photo was included on the front pages of many national newspapers and websites, including the BBC News, and was even used on TV news bulletins, despite concerns that it had been manipulated. The Associated Press, Reuters, AFP, Getty Images, and PA all removed the photo from their records, with many issuing “kill notifications” in explanation.
Although many news organizations follow strict guidelines on the use of manipulated photographs, only using them alongside an explanation that the image has been changed from the original, the Princess’s altered photo was not accompanied by any such statement. As a result, the five agencies removed the photograph from their collections.
The apologies from the Palace and the Princess may go some way towards mitigating the situation, but the incident will likely raise concerns about how media outlets use images or social media clips produced without additional journalistic verification, regardless of who took the pictures
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