Princess of Wales photo conspiracies debunked
By Victoria Ward
The photograph of the Princess of Wales and her children was intended to reassure the public by quashing wild social media theories about her health and whereabouts.
Kensington Palace hoped that the first authorised picture of the mother of three since Christmas Day would put an end to the speculation by showing that she was alive and recovering well from abdominal surgery.
However their intentions may have done the opposite, prompting another flood of conspiracy theories.
The Princess’s admission that she had edited the image created uncertainty and suspicion about every element of the picture and the decision to release it.
An unexpected sighting of her in a vehicle with the Prince of Wales on Monday, despite the fact that they were headed to different destinations, prompted further curiosity.
Vogue vexationOne of the theories that gained the most traction on social media was that the Princess had taken the photograph of herself that featured on the cover of Vogue magazine in 2016 and superimposed it on the family portrait.
The claim was dreamt up by Ruby Naldrett, the social media editor for the Daily Mirror, after she dug out the Vogue cover and shared it in a group chat with her friends, who “agreed instantly” that it was a perfect match.
The reporter published her “analysis” on X, formerly Twitter, and it quickly went viral with more than 42 million views and nearly 3,000 comments.
Naldrett has admitted it is pure speculation and she has no evidence to support her claims.
“It’s just a theory and it could be wrong,” she said.
Eliot Higgins, the founder of the Bellingcat investigative research agency, which identified Sergei Skripal’s Russian poisoners, said that when he first saw the Vogue theory, he thought it was a “parody”.
He wrote on X: “If you actually look closely at the details you’ll see numerous small differences. Great way to get clicks, if you don’t care about your credibility.”
He highlighted differences between the two images such as the reflection in the Princess’s eye, lower teeth being clearer in the smile, more wrinkles and lines and differences with the eyelashes.
Flourishing foliage Many conspiracy theorists pointed to the green leaves on the trees in the background of the photograph as proof that it was not genuine.
They claimed the trees would not be green so early in the year.
Horticultural experts rejected the claims, insisting that the mild winter meant that many plants and trees were currently in leaf in the UK.
The photograph was taken at the family home, Adelaide Cottage in the grounds of Windsor Great Park, which is also awash with greenery.
Baffling bricksMany have claimed that the photograph of the Princess seated alongside her husband in a black Range Rover as it drove through Datchet High Street on Monday had been faked.
One post on X, with more than 100,000 views, claimed the bricks in the background did not match up while another insisted that the silhouette of the Princess had been superimposed from another photograph taken in 2016.
The Telegraph has spoken to the photographer who captured the image. They admit it was a “lucky” shot and that they had no idea the Princess would be travelling with the Prince.
Royal insiders put such claims down to “hysteria” that has gotten out of hand.
Divorcing delusionsThe fact that the Princess was not wearing her wedding or engagement rings in the portrait only served to fan the flames.
The absence of jewellery was particularly noticeable because her diamond and sapphire engagement ring is so recognisable, having once belonged to Princess Diana.
Conspiracy theorists claimed it meant the Prince and Princess were headed for divorce.
More sensible sources pointed out that major surgery required the removal of jewellery and that certain types of treatment led to weight gain and weight loss.
Others noted the photograph was taken at home and had been taken by Prince William. The Princess does not always wear her engagement ring.
Clothing confusionOne conspiracy theory that gained traction on TikTok focused on the fact that Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis wore almost identical outfits as they did when visiting a baby bank in Maidenhead last November.
Allyn Aston said: “I’m kinda thinking that they probably took this photo on the day of that event back in November when they filmed it [the visit]... but of course they’re not going to release a picture that’s supposed to be brand new with them all in the same outfits from a publicised event, so they just kinda tinkered it a little bit.”
She told viewers: “They’re definitely pulling the wool over your eyes with this one.”
Well-placed sources told The Telegraph that the photograph was taken last Friday in Windsor.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2024/03/12/princess-of-wales-conspiracies-debunked/