The Prince and Princess of Wales released a new photo of Prince Louis to mark his sixth birthday this Tuesday (23). It is the first image to be released by the family since a photo editing scandal erupted last month.
In the photo, Louis – who is fourth in line for the British throne – can be seen smiling at the camera while lying on a blanket.
The image posted on the couple's official social media accounts on Tuesday was credited to Catherine, Princess of Wales and has not been verified by CNN .
A royal source said William and Catherine were grateful for the birthday messages they received from Louis. The photo was taken by Kate, 42, in the last few days in Windsor.
“This is an unprecedented time for the Welsh family as the princess continues her recovery,” the source said.
It's been a challenging time for the family, as Kate announced she was in the early stages of chemotherapy for cancer last month.
“The family was aware of the fact that they asked for privacy during the princess's recovery, however, in short, they wanted to share the image on their social media channels as a way of saying thank you to those who sent birthday wishes,” continued the source.
The source said the photo was not edited. An edited photograph of Catherine and her family last month raised concerns about transparency and honesty.
It has become a tradition for William and Catherine to mark their children's birthdays by sharing new images each year. Many of the past portraits were taken by Kate, who is a passionate photographer.
However, renowned professional photographers, including Mario Testino, Chris Jackson and Millie Pilkington, have also captured some of the contemporary portraits.
The couple released a commemorative photo of Louis every year to mark his birthday. He was last seen in public during the family's traditional Christmas Day walk to church alongside his mother on the Sandringham estate.
The latest official photograph of the youngest member of the Welsh family is likely to be heavily scrutinized as it is the first since a Mother's Day photo sparked a scandal last month.
Kensington Palace released an official family photo, said to have been taken by Prince William, which was later confirmed to have been doctored. The image should have put an end to speculation about the whereabouts of the princess who retired from the spotlight after abdominal surgery in January.
However, just hours after its release, several international media outlets removed the photograph from circulation citing concerns of source manipulation.
As eagle-eyed royal watchers continued to pore over possible discrepancies, Kate – as she is known to many – took responsibility for the chaos that ensued.
She said she enjoyed editing “like many amateur photographers” and “wanted to express my apologies for the confusion,” in a brief statement posted on X, formerly Twitter.
A second round of controversy was sparked weeks later when another official photograph was identified as being digitally manipulated.
Getty Images said on March 19 that a photograph of the late Queen Elizabeth II with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, taken by Kate and released by the palace last year, had also been “digitally enhanced.” An analysis of the CNN found signs of change in up to 19 places.
The princess revealed that an unspecified cancer was identified in post-operative tests on March 22. Kate said “it has been an incredibly difficult two months” in a deeply personal video message during which she asked the public for privacy.
The family subsequently kept a low profile during the Easter school holidays, but William returned to official duties last week.
While visiting a surplus food redistribution center, the prince promised to “look after” Kate in response to receiving cards for his wife and father. King Charles III also took a step back from public duties after revealing his own cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
Source: CNN Brasil
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