Public Relations Expert Reacts to Kate Middleton’s Edited Photo Controversy

Kate Middleton

As rumors about Kate Middleton continue to swirl after the photo released on U.K.'s Mother's Day was confirmed to be edited, a public relations expert shared their opinion on the matter and why the palace's strategy has made things "worse."

On Sunday, March 10, the official social media for Princess Kate shared a photo of her with her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, but very quickly, people began to suspect that something was off.

It was later confirmed that the photo was edited, and Kate released a statement on Monday, saying, "Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused."

Now, Mark Borkowski, a PR and crisis communications expert, shared his thoughts on the original decision to share the photo, telling People that the palace's attempt to calm down the rumors has "made it worse...Now some people are asking if it is all generated by AI or is it a Photoshop of a photo taken. It’s not something you'd want the royal brand to be aligned with."

Referencing the past "never complain, never explain" public relations policy that was in place during Queen Elizabeth II's reign, Borkowski claimed that following this now has gotten the palace "cornered," as they are providing very little details to the public about what's going on, and it's "never enough."

As a result, a situation like the Mother's Day photo fiasco occurred but could've possibly been avoided, with the public relations expert saying that the palace's actions were "driving a story where perhaps it would normally be shrugged off." And while there is still very little confirmed information about Kate's health, the public has noticed "the floundering and the poor decision making" of the palace, as Borkowski put it.

Soon after Princess Kate released her response to the edited photo, she was allegedly spotted in a car with Prince William, but some are also questioning its validity. Before this, the first time she was spotted out publicly since the surgery was during a drive near Windsor Castle with her mother on March 4.

Next: Internet "Isn't Buying" New Snapshot of Princess Kate Out With Husband William