The Kate Middleton rumour mill continues, as the photographer who took that now infamous second photo has spoken out over claims of manipulation.
The image in question showed Kate and Prince William being driven in the back of a car, but aroused suspicion when online sleuths noted that the brick wall behind them didn’t seem to match up.
Some said the lighting and angles didn’t add up, while others believed the image of Kate was taken from a different source entirely.
However Jim Bennett, the man who took the photo, has come out swinging and fully denies anything has been doctored.
“We don’t change our photos in Photoshop other than adjusting the light levels if necessary,” he told People.
“Car shots are unpredictable at the best of times and with some reflection on the glass it can be difficult.”
Bennett said he took the photo as he had expected to see Prince William heading to the Commonwealth Day service in London.
“It wasn’t until I checked on the back of the camera to make sure I had a frame of Prince William that I realised there was someone sitting next to him,” he said.
“It turned out to be Catherine!”
Of course, all this has come to light because Kate Middleton hasn’t actually been seen in public since Christmas. And after no end of high-stakes theories emerged about where she was, a photo released by the royals was hit with a “kill notice” by photo agencies over claims of manipulation.
Middleton later claimed to have edited the photo herself, despite having a full media team responsible for her photos and press releases. But did any of this help quell the rumours? Of course not.
Given Kate isn’t due for another public appearance until Easter, it’s unlikely the conspiracy theories are going to die down anytime soon. Just be thankful you don’t work on the royal PR team, who I can only assume are currently debating who gets to share the bad news next.
