Kate Middleton: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry break silence on Princess of Wales photo editing controversy

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have broken their silence on Kate Middleton's photo editing scandal, denying that insiders in their camp have been briefing on how they would have handled the situation.

The Princess of Wales has been embroiled in a controversy over her photo editing skills of a family portrait which forced her to apologise to the public. The picture, which shows her sitting on a chair surrounded by her three children, was released on Mother's Day, but this was later "killed" by four major press agencies over concerns it had been manipulated.

A story then appeared in Page Six's gossip column, quoting "sources close to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry", saying: "This isn't a mistake that Meghan would ever make...she has a keen eye and freakish attention to detail." A spokesperson from the couple's Archewell Foundation told Newsweek: "With respect to Page Six, that did not come from us."

The Page Six source also suggested that "if Harry and Meghan had ever encountered the same issue they would have been annihilated" and added: "The same rules do not apply to both couples." However, it is possible the quotes came from someone connected to the Sussexes and not the Foundation, and was speaking in a personal capacity.

Kate's photo tampering has caused a major reputational problem for Kensington Palace, jeopardising the institution's image as a reliable source of information. The princess posted on X on Monday (March 11): "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. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C."

The official photo featuring the mother-of-three beaming alongside Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis marked the first public image of the princess following her "planned abdominal surgery" on January 16. Despite requests for the original picture to be shared, Kensington Palace stated they wouldn't be reissuing the unaltered photo of Kate and her children.

Amid public speculation over the image, insiders from the royal circle have disclosed that the Princess of Wales is eager to move past the controversy but is finding it challenging to cope with its aftermath.

Kate made her first appearance since the photo's release on Monday, captured leaving Windsor Castle with her husband, Prince William to attend a "private appointment". However, this too came under heavy scrutiny from eagle-eyed fans, claiming that the picture was also doctored.

The princess wasn't expected to be seen in public until after Easter following her surgery as Kensington Palace said she would step back from her official public duty to focus on her health, but her sudden appearance coincided with the rise of wild online conspiracy theories about her wellbeing.