The revelation that another of her photographs was edited to such an extent that a global agency has attached a warning note may prompt questions about her many other family portraits released to the media to mark special occasions.
Last week, the American brodacster CNN confirmed that it was reviewing all photographs handed out by Kensington Palace.
Phil Chetwynd, the global news director of Agence France-Presse, said Kensington Palace was no longer a “trusted source” and that the Princess’s manipulation of the Mother’s Day photograph “clearly” violated the agency’s rules.
Noting that it was rare for agencies to “kill” an image, he said Agence France-Presse’s hand had been forced because the Palace did not respond to requests for an explanation or to release the original image.
The rare family portrait of Elizabeth II depicts her on a green sofa in a cluttered sitting room at Balmoral, surrounded by 10 beaming children. Dressed in off-duty attire, she looks directly at the camera in a photograph taken only weeks before she died.
Her grandchildren Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex, the children of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, are standing at the back.
In front of them are Lena Tindall, the daughter of Mike and Zara Tindall, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, the two elder children of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Isla Phillips, the daughter of Peter Phillips, and Prince Louis, the youngest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Seated to the monarch’s right is Mia Tindall, holding baby Lucas Tindall, while to her left is Savannah Phillips. The homely image, a rare informal snapshot of the family, was lauded when it was released.
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children, were notable absentees. Living more than 5,000 miles away in Montecito, California, the Sussexes were the only senior members of the family who did not fly to Scotland to spend time with the Queen that summer.
Getty is understood to be the only agency that retains the image in its library. Other news and picture agencies no longer hold it as it was released for use until December 2023.
A community note – a feature on X, formerly Twitter, that allows users to add context to posts – has also been added to the image on Kensington Palace’s profile.
It states: “This image appears to have been digitally altered to give the impression that everyone within it was present at the same time. It is not a photograph of a moment, rather a collage of moments put together to create an illusion of a photograph.”
There is no suggestion that the Princess inserted anyone into the photograph.
Kensington Palace declined to comment.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
