American photojournalist and former White House photographer Pete Souza clarified that the photograph featuring Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, alongside her three children was not “photoshopped,” but it was ‘fake,’ emphasizing the distinction between editing and altering images.
According to Souza, who gained fame for capturing the iconic ‘Situation Room’ picture during former US President Barack Obama’s tenure, the term “photoshopped” shouldn’t be used inaccurately. He explained this in an Instagram post where he also shared a picture he took of Prince George meeting President Obama in 2016, highlighting that while photos may undergo editing for adjustments like color balance or shadows, adding or removing elements constitutes altering the image.
The controversy arose when Kensington Palace shared a picture of Kate Middleton and her children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis – claiming it was taken by Prince William at their Windsor residence. However, scrutiny revealed the image had been digitally altered.
Following the backlash, Kensington Palace issued an apology on behalf of Kate, acknowledging that the photograph had been edited. Kate mentioned in the statement that she occasionally experiments with editing, expressing regret for any confusion the picture may have caused.
The release of the altered image coincided with heightened speculation about Kate Middleton’s health following her abdominal surgery. However, the palace has not provided any updates regarding her condition.
