Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have broken their silence on the Princess of Wales’ photo editing furor.
They denied that sources inside their camp made comments about how the Duchess of Sussex would have handled a similar situation.
Amid increasing speculation surrounding the Mother’s Day image of Kate and her children, which was released to the world by Kensington Palace on Sunday, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Archewell Foundation spoke out to deny that any official representative for the couple had made comments about the controversy to Page Six.
Not from us
Speaking to Newsweek, the spokesperson addressed quotes published by the outlet, which stated that a source ‘close to Prince William, Harry and his wife’, had not come ‘from us’.
The source in question stated that the editing error ‘isn’t a mistake that Meghan would ever make’, noting that ‘she has a keen eye and freakish attention to detail’.
However, Archewell’s official spokesperson has now insisted to Newsweek that the information ‘did not come from us’, stating simply: ‘With respect to Page Six, that did not come from us.’
First time
The statement marks the first time that Harry, 39, and his wife have officially addressed the photo editing controversy in any official capacity.
In addition to the claims made about Meghan ‘never making the [same] mistake’, Page Six also published quotes from an insider who stated that the Sussexes ‘would have been annihilated’ had they released a similarly-edited image.
‘If Harry and Meghan had ever encountered the same issue they would have been annihilated,’ the source quotes read.
‘The same rules do not apply to both couples.
‘This isn’t a mistake that Meghan would ever make … she has a keen eye and freakish attention to detail.’
The outlet did not state that the quotes had come from inside Archewell however – and Newsweek noted that the comments could have been made by an acquaintance of the Sussexes who is not officially connected to the Foundation.
Meghan and Harry’s response to those claims has come after an explosion of conspiracy theories, after six of the world’s top picture agencies including the Press Association, sensationally pulled the photo from their wires and libraries amid concern that the ‘source has manipulated the image’.
Kate’s explanation
Princess Kate publicly took the blame for the family photograph released by Kensington Palace as she issued an apology for the ‘confusion’ in a statement posted on the Wales’ official Instagram account.
‘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,’ she wrote.
‘I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day,’ Kate then concluded, before signing off the statement ‘C’ for Catherine.
Despite calls for the original to be published, Kensington Palace said it would not be reissuing the unedited photograph of Kate and her children.
Moving on
In the wake of the public speculation surrounding the image, royal insiders have claimed that the Princess of Wales is eager to move on from the row – and is struggling to deal with the aftermath.
Kate was seen for the first time since the image was released on Monday, when she was pictured leaving Windsor Castle with her husband, Prince William.
It is understood that the Princess of Wales was traveling to a ‘private appointment’ – while Prince William was due to travel to London for two public engagements.
Hospital stay
The mother-of-three was not expected to be seen in public until after Easter following abdominal surgery and two weeks in a private London hospital in January. Her surprise appearance came as wild online conspiracy theories swirled around the princess and her health.
Kensington Palace has come under enormous pressure to release the un-edited image – which experts have said was changed using Photoshop and related AI tools.
The world’s major photo agencies later ‘killed’ the picture after noticing signs of digital editing, including a missing part of Princess Charlotte’s sleeve and the misaligned edge of her wrist and skirt, and the positioning of Kate’s zip.
Ahron Young is an award winning journalist who has covered major news events around the world. Ahron is the Managing Editor and Founder of TICKER NEWS.
In Short:
– Trump and China aim to ease escalating trade tensions while discussing tariff threats and market stability.
– Both nations prefer negotiation over retaliation, seeking collaboration for economic benefits.
President Trump is navigating complex tensions with China as both nations seek to ease trade disputes that have escalated in recent weeks.
After threatening a 100% tariff on Chinese imports effective November 1, Trump has engaged in discussions with senior officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, about reducing tensions and stabilising markets.
Despite the tariff threat following China’s export restrictions on rare-earth minerals, both countries have shown interest in detente. Chinese officials are keen to preserve a planned summit between Trump and Xi Jinping, while the U.S. administration is motivated to avoid stock market turmoil and refocus on other global matters.
Response Considerations
Strengthening audit processes for Chinese firms operating in the U.S. has been discussed, alongside potential executive actions against Chinese investments linked to Russian oil. Senior advisers, including Bessent, are now prioritising global market stability while offering a more conciliatory tone towards China.
Trump indicated willingness to engage in talks despite previous statements suggesting a severed meeting with Xi.
The lack of specific retaliatory threats from the Chinese government in response to Trump’s tariff announcement signals a desire for tempered relations. China’s Ministry of Commerce has stated that the export controls are not outright bans and will be moderated. Signs of this intention are reflected in lower-profile media coverage of the trade tensions within China.
Both nations face a choice between escalating tensions or pursuing negotiations that could benefit their economies significantly. Business leaders hope the focus will shift towards collaboration rather than another cycle of retaliation.
Albanese government introduces 40% tax on super balances over $10M, enhancing support for low-income earners in retirement.
The Albanese government has announced sweeping superannuation reforms, introducing a 40% tax on balances over $10 million while boosting support for low-income earners to create a fairer, more sustainable retirement system.