Several prestigious media outlets have retracted a photo of Kate, Princess of Wales, published by Kensington Palace after a post-publication review found it did not meet their editorial standards, Reuters reported.

On Sunday, Kensington Palace released a photo of Kate and her three children, along with a message of thanks from the princess, her first public comment since undergoing abdominal surgery in January.

News agencies including Getty, Reuters, Associated Press and AFP retracted the photo later that day. Reuters image editors said part of the sleeve of Kate’s daughter’s cardigan was misaligned, suggesting the image had been altered.

Reuters could not immediately determine how, why or by whom the changes were made.

Large photo agencies prohibit the publication of images that have been excessively edited.

For example, the Reuters Handbook of Journalism states that Photoshop’s editing tool can only be used in very limited circumstances. “We use only a small fraction of its potential to format our images, crop and enlarge them, and balance tones and colors.”

Kensington Palace did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Reuters said it had removed the image after a review after publication. “We are looking into the matter,” the spokesman said.

The palace said the photo was taken by Kate’s husband, Prince William, the heir to the throne, last week. It showed a smiling Kate, 42, surrounded by Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte.

Kate has been absent from public royal life since Christmas, sparking rumors and speculation on social media about the princess’s health.

Kensington Palace said at the time of the operation that the princess was unlikely to return to official duties before Easter.

(news.ro)