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Picture agencies ‘kill’ royal photo over editing fears 

The photo of the Princess of Wales and her family that sparked the row (Credit: Instagram)

Kensington Palace made headlines on Sunday night — but not in the way officials hoped. A photo that was meant to quell conspiracies about Kate Middleton’s absence from public life on health grounds has only spurred further speculation as to what is really going on with the Princess of Wales. The picture showing Kate surrounded by her three young children was released this morning, in a nod to the Cambridge’s annual Mother’s Day tradition. It appeared on William and Kate’s official Instagram page and was used by a number of outlets, including Sky News and the BBC, which excitedly published the ‘first official photo’ of the Princess of Wales since she underwent abdominal surgery in January.

On closer inspection, however, queries were raised about the royal photo. A number of eagle-eyed observers noticed on social media that picture looks doctored, with Prince Louis’s right hand appearing to, er, lack fingers. And now at least three international photo agencies have issued a ‘kill’ order to retract the image from their systems.

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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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