Whoopi Goldberg Supports Kate Middleton's Editing of Photo: ‘It’s Something Everyone Does’

Whoopi Goldberg recently shared her confusion at the criticism aimed at Princess Kate Middleton after she revealed she had edited the now-infamous photo with her children. The image gained significant attention due to its noticeable Photoshop editing, according to Page Six.  “I’m sorry, I know very few people who don’t manipulate their own photos. I mean all you gotta do is swipe. Those editors swipe, God knows people look how those photos look,” Goldberg said on Monday’s episode of the popular TV show, The View.

The discussion took an interesting turn when Sara Haines distinguished between 'filtering' and full-fledged Photoshopping, a point that Goldberg challenged. "She’s doing the same thing, she’s doing the same thing!" Goldberg said. The actress further highlighted how common photo manipulation is in today's visual culture. She further said, "You know what, I have to tell you, she may be the future queen, but she’s still an amateur photographer. That’s what they do!" as reported by Hello! Magazine. Here, she touched on Middleton's dual persona as both a public figure and a common individual who indulges in photography.

Goldberg then jokingly teased her co-hosts with a playful jab. She said, "I’m sure that none of you have ever tampered with your [photos]." Additionally, Ana Navarro humorously said, "Listen, if manipulating pictures was a crime, the Kardashians, my best friend, and I would be in jail for the rest of our lives." This erupted in a huge laughter from the audience. Goldberg then added, "Didn’t I just say that this is something that everyone does? Didn’t I just say that people do this all the time?!" In further support of Middleton, Goldberg saw no reason for people to continue being upset after Middleton had openly confessed to editing the images.

Adding to the discussion, Alyssa Farah Griffin argued that the edited photo only adds to the speculation and conspiracy theories surrounding Middleton. She was referencing fans' inquiries about Middleton's whereabouts following her abdominal surgery in January, suggesting that Middleton could silence these theories by posting a selfie video. Goldberg firmly said, "She doesn’t need to do it! She doesn’t need to do it!" This highlighted her belief that Middleton doesn't owe anyone further explanations. Goldberg also recounted her own encounters with photo editing: "I’ve been on the cover of magazines where they’ve edited out my wrinkles, lightened up my color, even put a donkey nose on my face."

The conversation briefly shifted toward Middleton's decision not to wear her engagement ring in the contentious photo before wrapping up. Meanwhile, in response to the criticism, Middleton issued an apology on Twitter. She wrote, "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."