Prince Louis’ birthday photo

[PrettyFlyforaMaiTai]

I was worried that Catherine might not release a birthday photo of Louis this year what with what her diagnosis and the mothers’ day photo fiasco. But she has released an image on the Prince & Princess of Wales instagram page.

Happy 6th birthday Louis! Isn’t he a mini Michael Middleton?

😂😂😂

Well it backfired. Good for Kate and William. I am sure they have published other photoshopped images without qualm.

Both the boys are all Middleton.

@PrettyFlyforaMaiTai
thank you for posting it here, I wouldn't have seen it otherwise.

he is absolutely adorable!!

Definitely lots of Middleton Genes (lucky boy!!)

@MummyJ12

he's got the same teeth months later

?? some people are just bat shit aren't they!

Oh & I agree that Kate must have had her heart in her mouth! Serves the media right that she's released it how she has!!

@Runnerinthenight "Well it backfired. Good for Kate and William. I am sure they have published other photoshopped images without qualm."

They have. The photoshopping wasn't the issue. Photoshopping is fine, so long as it's an image representing a single moment in time. The Mother's Day image didn't do that. That's why it was killed.

Whatever 🥱

It was killed to hype up the drama and create more headlines

We all know why there was the unprecedented scrutiny of the mothers day photo, and the ridiculous 'kill' notice, and it had nothing to do with any photoshopping and all to do with the wall of steel and silence that had surrounded Princess Catherine since the announcement of her major surgery. It was a way of getting back at KP for continuing to maintain the privacy she had requested at the outset.

Conspiracy theories alive and well, I see!

@Thedom Reputable news agencies do not "punish" trusted institutions like the Royal Family.

Was it definitely confirmed that this was the case? I thought it was said that it was only a bit of amateur photoshopping 🤷‍♀️. In any case, what do you think was the reason for the edits? Was it not just to make everyone in the photo look their best? What deception was intended?

I think the problem with the MD photo was that it became part of a news story and was therefore held to a higher standard by the agencies. I am happy that news agencies have high standards for images used by actual news reports.

It was a family photograph, which was tidied up a bit too much by the Mom to make it more presentable, it was clearly an amateur job, it was one of the most massive overreactions ever.

Absolutely agree @Thedom and I also agree with @MrsLeonFarrell that the agencies held it to a higher standard (than usual or necessary).
It became a news story because of the bullying across social media.

I think social media overreacted and the news channels and press jumped on it because they need material. But I do understand the original decision. If it had been an ordinary MD I don't think it would have been killed but the agencies were affected by the where's Catherine narrative and killed it. I wonder if they would make the same decision in retrospect.

Exactly !

The MD picture was not killed because it was photoshopped, or out of spite or because of the shit storm. It was killed because it did not meet the strict criteria of a news photographic agency. Their pictures have to represent single moments in time. News. The MD picture didn't. It was a composite. That's why it was killed. As any similar picture from anyone would have been.

And they could have provided considerable clarity by saying just that. But they did not.

Where was it said that it wasn’t “a single moment in time?” I must have missed that. But anyway, if it was photoshopped to show everyone on their best light, was it meant to deceive? Was it not indeed an overreaction to “kill” it? Would it have not been possible to print it with a disclaimer as pp have said? Did common sense go out of the window in the frenzy over “ where is Kate”?

It was not a composite and the agencies did not seem to believe that it was a composite either. It was killed because it had been edited/photoshopped.

@Serenster "And they could have provided considerable clarity by saying just that. But they did not."

Because it wasn't their business. The Wales may not have wanted to go into detail. Anyone who actually wanted to know could easily have found out.

"Would it have not been possible to print it with a disclaimer as pp have said"

No. Because the photo agencies have a serious job to do in documenting world events. Wars and stuff. They can't publish pictures with disclaimers.

They shouldn’t be wasting time on listening to trolls then should they 🙄

The disclaimer should have come immediately from Kensington Palace.