BREAKING NEWS HRH Kate & William seen today

[DistinguishedSocialCommentator]

Now please stop the silly rumours

I wish HRH Kate a speedy recovery

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13183233/Kate-leaving-Windsor-Castle-Prince-William-Westminster-Abbey.html

They also credited a photographer who has happily discussed the day/set up. If it later emerged they’d actually used a surrogate and it was staged there would be similar outrage.

The concern is that the DuchOC is seriously unwell and the photo presents a misleading picture of her health. There’s no external third party verification that the scene was as portrayed.

Maybe but you could also say here is a photo of H&M all loved up in their beautiful garden except it isn't really what their garden looks like. I'm sure it is a lovely garden so why the need to change it? At the end of it all does it matter, someone thought a tree would look good so they put a tree in and someone changed Charlotte's hand. Does it matter? Not to me.

As for all the theories about Kate, if it is anything other than she's had an op and is recovering we will all find out in the fullness of time, I can't see the urgency.

@GuinnessBird "If Harry and Meghan regularly release manipulated photos then why haven't any been rejected by the press agencies...?"

Because those pictures aren't news. And anyway, they're date stamped.

@Iwasafool Do you not understand that the issue is the dateableness of the image?

Yes! Agreed.

That may be true but then again the RF boards..

old-style royalty that doesn't work now
The royals are in a very tight spot. They need the public need to view them as having a legitimate right to their wealth and privilege, without this their position is untenable.
It is only by slight of hand that they are able to seem legitimate. They rely on the public being deferential and being (by and large) less sophisticated than the royals. Neither of these conditions are fulfilled in the modern day.

They are an anachronism and are no longer able to fool us insufficient numbers to guarantee the continuance of their diamond studded gravy train.

It will survive as long as it changes and evolves. I think Harry and Meghan, had their particular skillsets been properly used and their strengths played to, could have done that for them. But I don't think William has what it takes.

I don't know the extent of photos of Harry and Meghan that have been edited before release, but if they have been, there is a difference. The issue with the photo of Catherine and her children is whether it represents the truth in connection with a matter of public concern. There is no matter of public concern for Harry's hair or whatever small vanities produce touch-ups to Meghan's image. In addition, they are private people with no governmental responsibilities. It is different with Catherine. The RF have no real power as such in the UK, but they do have governmental roles and their activities, including matters of their health are legitimate concerns for the public. Yes, of course, Catherine is entitled to a measure of privacy concerning her health, but that measure has limits in a constitutional monarchy. She had no obligation to release anything, but what she did release needed to be accurate.

As to bullying, I'm in the US so I am (thankfully) not aware of what the British tabloids have been up to, but I do know something about the Associated Press, and they are a highly respected news agency with standards that they certainly strive to apply across the board.

Well said ,@CarolinaInTheMorning

It’s all a saga that interests people

They’ll survive because people are interested

Whether it’s talking about H&M or K&W they will continue because the public are part of it all

The Palace photos had a kill notice issued because the photo was released saying it had been taken the week before by William, and by implication Kate was recovering well. But Kate's head had been taken from another photo and added on. So they had no idea if it had been taken last week, or months ago. That was the lie.
They do not care about small improvements to appearance. Kate's portraits in the media are routinely photoshopped to make her look her best. That is pretty normal for the media.

Nobody has said Kate’s head had been changed, have they?

Maybe she's had a big chrysanthemum tattooed on her neck?

Lots of media articles are saying Kate's head has been changed. Not the initial ones, but later ones.

Can you find one? Semi reputable ie not Twitter / Mumsnet / Reddit

I think the issue is that William's ' new style' monarchy is more like what they had in the 1950s, where they were left alone to do what they wanted with little scrutiny. He and Harry are the same in that respect. Unfortunately for them, that relies on it being the 1950's. There isn't nearly as much deference for them. Most people couldn't care less about them and are only interested if some scandal or other happens. If William wants privacy and doesn't want to do as much work, he needs to transform the monarchy into a less costly Scandi style monarchy. Fewer people, fewer staff, fewer houses, less pomp and raiding dressing up boxes.

This with knobs on

The RF can't have it all ways, we aren't going back to what I was like at the beginning of QEII's reign

I'm the words of Dylan....times they have a'changed

I saw Charles and Camilla in a car a few months ago. He was looking out of the window and she had a right face on her. If I’d realised the importance of the scene I’d have taken a photo and caused a frenzy. To be fair, it was in Speke. Nobody looks happy in Speke.

People are interested. Enough for KM out of action until Easter to make people go slightly loopy online.

Absolutely. The cringe Caribbean tour would have had very different optics if H&M had been sent. The couple could have been used to the RF advantage.

It’s particularly piss poor management to let a disgruntled ex employees go rogue and brief against the global brand.

😆

I thought that when Private Eye was quoted. It’s a spoof/satirical publication. A piss take magazine, if you like x

They aren't saying as much in the UK media, presumably because they know that outright accusing them will start an all out war between the royals and the press. However, there are multiple images like this from the Guardian which mark the dodgy bits of the photo - that helpfully outline Kate's head and hands.

Combine that and the contrast between her face in the mother's day photo and her face in the photo in the car with her mother, photos supposedly taken only days apart, and her face being replaced is a very real possibility.

Because of the gossip. Not because Kate going missing for 3 months is going to mean no more visits to nurseries until Easter. I don't know if everyone list their heads. I only noticed it really going wild about a week ago after William missed that memorial at the last minute.