British media are showing no signs of letting up on scrutiny of the Prince and Princess of Wales, a week after a family photo released to mark Mother’s Day in the UK sparked a backlash and frenzied speculation about the state of Kate Middleton’s health, the happiness of their marriage and anything else anyone could think of.
This time a week ago, the royal couple released a photo of Kate with her three children, the first official photo of the princess since she underwent abdominal surgery and disappeared from public view, back in January.
Within hours, several respected global picture agencies had withdrawn the photo from its books, citing concerns over inauthenticity. The following day saw Kate make an unprecedented apology, explaining that “like many amateur photographers” she had “experimented with editing.” However, with royal staff refusing to release the original photo – reported to have been taken just two days before it was published – speculation over what exactly went on has not gone away.
This weekend, The Times of London has pushed the story along, signalling that royal insiders have sought to seize control of the narrative and bring the media back on side.
The paper, citing “close friends,” reports that the couple are “shaken and devastated” by the questions raised over the state of their marriage – following the lack of wedding ring on Kate’s finger in the photo – and furthermore, that Kate could speak out about her health at public engagements next month.
A royal source told the paper: “They are at their most open when out interacting with members of the public and I can see a world in which the princess might discuss her recovery out on engagements. If she was going to do it, that’s how she would do it.” A friend says: “They will want to be clear and more open, but they’ll do it when they feel ready. I would expect that to be her instinct and it will be her call. They’re not going to be rushed.”
It adds that the couple are expected to stick to their custom of releasing a new picture to celebrate their son Louis’s sixth birthday on April 23. While Kate has often picked up the camera herself to take photos of her children, she may opt this time for the services of a professional.
Meanwhile, over in Montecito, Meghan Markle – whether coincidentally or not, we will surely not know – launched a publicity blitz for her new lifestyle and wellness brand, American Riviera Orchard, and returned to social media for the first time since her marriage to Prince Harry back in 2018. Media scrutiny on both sides of the Atlantic looks set to continue undimmed.