Photo of Queen Elizabeth II with family was digitally enhanced, agency claims
A second royal photograph featuring the late Elizabeth II has been called into question after claims it was “digitally enhanced at source”.
International picture agency Getty Images has said the image, which was taken by the Princess of Wales in August 2022 and released by Buckingham Palace in April last year to mark what would have been the Queen’s 97th birthday, was manipulated.
A spokesman for Getty told The Daily Telegraph: “Getty Images has reviewed the image in question and placed an editor’s note on it, stating that the image has been digitally enhanced at source.”
It comes just a week after the furore over a photograph released by Kensington Palace for mother’s day of the Princess of Wales with her three children, which was withdrawn by a number of picture agencies over digital editing.
The photo was expected to quell speculation about the wellbeing of the Princess after abdominal surgery in January, but instead sparked more conspiracy theories after a number of anomalies in the images were highlighted.
A day later, Kate was forced to issue a clarification in relation to the image stating: “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 latest photograph revealed to have been “digitally enhanced” features Queen Elizabeth II seated on a sofa surrounded by some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A closer inspection of the image is said to have revealed a number of inconsistencies, including a mismatch in the tartan pattern of the late Queen’s skirt and a dark shadow behind Prince Louis’ ear.
