Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Respond to Kate Middleton Photo Controversy With Official Statement

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have finally broken their silence regarding the recent photo-editing scandal involving Kate Middleton. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex addressed the controversy through a spokesperson, denying any indulgence in comments made about how Meghan would handle a 'similar situation.' This is with regard to when Page Six had reported that some individuals close to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry said, 'If Harry and Meghan had ever encountered the same issue, they would have been annihilated. The same rules do not apply to both couples. This isn’t a mistake that Meghan would ever make … she has a keen eye and freakish attention to detail.'”

As per Mirror, a spokesperson for the Archewell Foundation, representing Harry and Meghan, spoke out to clarify that the comments published by Page Six did not originate from the royals. The spokesperson emphasized, "With respect to Page Six, that did not come from us."

The Sussexes have also faced the spotlight for similar reasons earlier when they shared an altered picture to announce their second pregnancy. Misan, the couple's photographer, took to Twitter to clarify the situation and wrote, "The original Jpeg without the black and white grade. No trees or meadows were moved or swapped, this is the image straight out of the camera. Also, that is a Jacaranda Tree, not a willow tree."

The response from Harry and Meghan comes amid escalating public scrutiny following the controversy surrounding Middleton’s edited picture. The image, released by Kensington Palace on Mother’s Day, drew attention for its digital alterations, nudging several top picture agencies to withdraw the picture from further circulation. In her public apology issued on Instagram, Middleton acknowledged, "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."

Despite calls for the release of the unedited version, Kensington Palace announced that they would not be reissuing the original picture. Daily Mail’s diary editor, Richard Eden, took a swipe at Prince William and exclaimed, "It's not some personal thing, it's issued by Kensington Palace communications people and then she has been thrown under a bus. I think it's disgraceful. It's very ungentlemanly of Prince William to put the onus on her. For goodness sake, he's the one who took the photograph. And the officials made it public. They gave it out, it's their job. I think it's absolutely disgraceful that they've said to her 'You go and explain what you did.' No, it's your job. Take some responsibility."

As the controversy unfolds, royal insiders suggest that Middleton is eager to move past the incident, especially as she deals with recovering from abdominal surgery. Her surprise appearance alongside Prince William at Windsor Castle indicated her determination to carry on despite the ongoing scrutiny.