Major news outlets such as Getty, Reuters, Associated Press, and AFP have deleted a Kensington Palace picture of the Princess of Wales after a post-publication investigation revealed it did not match their editorial standards.
The palace released a photo of Kate and her three children on Sunday and a thank-you letter from the princess, who wrote it in her first public words since undergoing abdominal surgery in January.
Later that day, news organizations deleted the photograph. According to Reuters photo editors, part of the sleeve of Kate's daughter's cardigan did not align correctly, implying that the image was manipulated.
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Reuters could not immediately determine how, why, or by whom the change had been made.
Leading picture agencies that distribute news photographs ban the distribution of images that have been heavily manipulated.
According to the Reuters Handbook of Journalism, the editing program Photoshop is only helpful in very few situations. "We use only a tiny part of its potential capability to format our pictures, crop and size them and balance the tone and color."
Kensington Palace did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The palace says Prince William took the photo last week. It shows Kate, 42, smiling and looking well, surrounded by Princes George, Louis, and Princess Charlotte.
Kate has been away from public royal life since Christmas Day, prompting social media worry about the princess's health.
At the time of her operation, Kensington Palace stated that Kate was unlikely to return to official responsibilities until after Easter, at the end of this month.
Officials said they would only release "significant updates" regarding her recovery.
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