Reality x Expectation: the royal family’s crisis after doctored photo of Kate Middleton

The release of the first official image of the Princess of Wales since her surgery was intended to mark Mother’s Day and calm the many speculations that have recently arisen about her health.

However, the image of the princess with her three children caused chaos when news agencies removed the photo due to concerns that it had been digitally altered. Kate Middleton later apologized for “any confusion” she may have caused.

Instead of putting an end to the rumors, the photo ended up being deleted by the press. The princess posted a brief apology on social media for what happened to the image.

“Like many amateur photographers, I occasionally experiment with editing,” she said. Royal sources described her changes as “minimal tweaks.”

CREDIBILITY

They often say that the monarchy needs to be seen to be believed, which means they need to be within reach of the population.

But this photo controversy shows that it’s even more important that we believe what we see of them. Trust is fundamental to relationships with royals.

When an image is manipulated, the public can feel manipulated too. And we still don’t know exactly what was changed, without having the original image.

We don’t know, for example, if this was an image made up of a series of photos. And we have the unusual spectacle of a photo distributed by royalty being brutally deleted by photo agencies.

CONTROL

There is an inevitable tension between royals’ right to privacy and public expectations of openness. And this unfolds in his relationship with the press.

On several recent occasions, Prince William and Catherine have directly shared content on their social media. This gives them control over their appearance. But is this more than simply an advertising strategy?

Given the recent controversy surrounding the Mother’s Day photo, the question arises whether that moment was private and personal in nature or whether it was seen as a public statement. If it is the latter situation, it may be appropriate to have another person responsible for photographing the image.

DO WE HAVE UNFAIR EXPECTATIONS?

We want the royals to be just like us – taking a relaxed family photo on Mother’s Day – but at the same time, we want them to be completely different and special.

Is Kate stuck in this contradiction?

The Princess of Wales may have appeared on more newspaper covers in recent years than anyone else in the country, including political leaders.

When she’s recovering from major surgery, is it fair to expect her to appear in public and look flawless?

Despite her medical issues, she literally has to show her face. And, after incessant speculation about her appearance, it is Catherine who ends up in the crosshairs for “playing” with the image that is being published.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

This episode will generate even more pressure when the Princess of Wales appears in public, which is not expected until after Easter. But perhaps there’s a bigger question about redefining the royal relationship in the modern era.

How much information should they share?

The staged spontaneity of that photo was intended to send a message of tranquility and authenticity. But without artificial enhancements, what is reality like?

This text was originally published here.