A photography agency has addressed speculation surrounding another recent image featuring Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, suggesting digital manipulation.
The particular photo captures the former Kate Middleton departing Windsor Castle in a Range Rover alongside her husband Prince William on March 11.
Following Kate's disclosure that a previously released photo of her and her children had undergone editing, queries arose on social media regarding potential alterations in the SUV image as well.
Goff Photos, the agency responsible for the picture, clarified in a statement on March 12 that while the "images of the Prince and Princess of Wales in the back of the Range Rover have been cropped and lightened," there had been "no doctoring involved!"
NBC News also conducted an investigation and found no indications of digital tampering in the photo.
Nevertheless, online analysts continued to dissect various elements, citing factors like the background and Kate's hairstyle as evidence of potential digital modifications.
The Range Rover snapshot further sparked discussions about the Duchess's well-being.
Since undergoing unspecified abdominal surgery in January, she has not made any public appearances since December.
However, on March 4, she was photographed traveling in a car with her mother near Windsor Castle, although the palace refrained from commenting on those images.
On Monday, a spokesperson from the royal household confirmed that William and Kate were attending a "private appointment" at the time they were photographed in the Range Rover.
This incident occurred shortly after Kate issued an apology for a manipulated photo of herself and her children, which had been posted on the couple's official Kensington Palace social media accounts.
The family picture was originally shared to mark U.K. Mother’s Day on March 10. It was the first official photograph released of Catherine since her surgery and depicted her alongside her three children: Prince George, aged 10, Princess Charlotte, aged 8, and Prince Louis, aged 5.
However, within a few hours of its release, major news agencies such as the Associated Press and Reuters retracted the photo citing "manipulation."
Addressing the controversy on March 11, the princess posted a statement on X.
Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted 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. C
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 11, 2024
In her statement, she wrote, "Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted 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. C."
In late February, the palace issued another statement regarding her recovery from surgery, reaffirming that her absence from public appearances is part of her healing process.
"Kensington Palace had clarified in January the timeline of the Princess' recovery, and we would only be providing significant updates," a spokesperson for the princess stated in a message to NBC News on Feb. 29. "That guidance remains unchanged."