Media agencies pull photo of Kate Middleton over manipulation concerns

AP, Reuters, AFP and Getty withdraw first official image of the Princess of Wales released since her surgery.

The first official photo of Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, released since she underwent abdominal surgery has been pulled by multiple media agencies amid concerns the image was manipulated.

The Associated Press (AP), Reuters, Getty Images and Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Sunday issued notices not to use the image of Kate and her three children, which was released by Kensington Palace.

The AP said the photo had been withdrawn because upon “closer inspection, it appears that the source had manipulated the image” and the photo showed an “inconsistency in the alignment” of the left hand of Kate’s daughter, Princess Charlotte.

The AFP said the image could not be used as it had been “altered” without elaborating.

Reuters said it had deleted the image “following a post-publication review”.