Kensington Palace's reputation has come under scrutiny after Kate Middleton's Mother's Day photo was controversially edited. Phil Chetwynd, AFP's global news director, said during an appearance on BBC Radio 4's Media Show that the palace was no longer considered a “reliable source” in light of the photo scandal.
Chetwynd revealed that AFP re-evaluated its relationship with Prince William and Kate after the photo raised “major issues” and violated the outlet's guidelines.
AFP's news director says Kensington Palace has squashed the issue of unrest
“As with anything, when a source lets you down, the bar is raised,” Chetwynd said. He continued: “We've sent notes to all of our teams right now to be absolutely extra vigilant about the content that reaches our office — even from what we call authoritative sources.”
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According to Chetwynd, Kensington Palace failed to respond to requests from AFP and other organisations, including Reuters and the Associated Press, for the original photo after the “murder” notices were issued. He noted that a request to remove an image due to manipulation is uncommon, and “maybe once a year, hopefully less often.”
“There is the issue of trust. The big issue here is the issue of trust and lack of trust and the general public's declining confidence in institutions in general and in the media,” Chetwynd said.
The controversy arose due to a photo of Kate with her three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – that was uploaded on the occasion of Mother's Day on social media. It is noteworthy that Kate was not wearing her wedding ring in the photo, which raised speculation and questions about the authenticity of the photo.
Kate said it was an innocent mistake
The Princess of Wales addressed the controversy in a statement, saying: “I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion caused by the family photo we shared yesterday. I hope everyone celebrating Mother's Day is very happy.” This statement came amid speculation about Kate's health after her abdominal surgery last January, which kept her away from royal engagements.
Read also| MEGHAN Markle returns to Instagram amid Kate Middleton photo receiving warning
Details about Kate's surgery have been kept secret since day one, sparking speculation and conspiracy theories about her health. A source close to the family revealed that Kate intends to maintain privacy regarding the surgery, and will only share details when she feels comfortable doing so.
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