LONDON.- The retouched photo of the Princess of Wales, Kate Middletonhas created an uncomfortable situation for the British royalty, having established a climate of distrust about the future information supplied by the monarchy.
The Daily Mail tabloid, traditionally loyal to the British crown, was clear this Tuesday in the headline on its front page: “How did Catherine’s photo become a public relations disaster?” the newspaper wrote.
On Sunday, coinciding with Mother’s Day, a photo of the Princess of Wales, 42, was released, the first since the mysterious abdominal operation, of which the details are unknown, on the wife of the heir to the British crown , William.
In it she was seen smiling with her three children. A few hours later it was discovered that there were several manipulations in the photo.
Rumors and speculation
After her operation in mid-January, Kensington Palace, in charge of communication for the Princes of Wales, did not provide much information about Kate’s illness, creating a breeding ground for rumors and speculation.
When it became known that the photo was doctored, international press agencies, including AFP, decided to withdraw it.
If it is normally the royalty that turns its back on the press, in this case the tables were turned and it was the media that rejected information coming from the monarchy.
“Traditionally, they (the royals) are the ones who don’t accept the press, but for once the media got angry with the Windsors,” summarized Ian Lloyd, author of several books on Photography about the British monarchy, in statements reproduced by The Independent.
“Presumably, the agencies felt that the Prince of Wales not only manipulated the photo but also manipulated the media and the general public,” Lloyd added in the statements reported by The Independent.
Voices have also been raised in defense of Princess Kate, such as the American actress Whoopi Goldberg, in a program on the ABC network. “I’m sorry, but I know very few people who don’t manipulate her photos,” she said.
The mistake by Middleton, who admitted on Monday in a statement that she was the one who carried out the manipulation, while apologizing for the confusion caused, has led to comparisons with her sister-in-law Meghan Markle, wife of Prince Harry, her little brother. husband.
“It’s a mistake that Meghan would never make,” said a source close to the American actress, in statements reported by the New York Post. “Meghan has a good eye and pays extraordinary attention to detail,” the same source added.
In any case, confidence in the information provided by the Princes of Wales appears to have been undermined.
Climate of distrust
“In the current context, any manipulation of an image, even minor and not intended to mislead, can arouse suspicion,” said Chris Morris, director of fact-checking site Full Fact. “Conspiracy theories arise when there is an information vacuum, so if you want to be believed, you have to be transparent,” he added.
According to Peter Hunt, who in the past was in charge of monarchical information at the BBC: “people will be suspicious the next time they give information about the health of members of the royal family”, at a time when King Charles III is being treated a cancer.
The episode with Kate’s photo comes after a week of confusion about her status, in which William canceled an official engagement at the last minute for mysterious “personal reasons.”
Shortly after, the announcement of Kate’s participation in a military parade in June was withdrawn after publication.
After this slip, the princes of Wales have the challenge of regaining the trust of their fellow citizens regarding the information about Kate’s mysterious abdominal ailment.
Source: AFP
