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By Jack Royston
Chief Royal Correspondent
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle distanced themselves through their spokesperson from quotes in the New York Post about Kate Middleton's Photoshop crisis.
The Princess of Wales apologized Monday for editing a family portrait released on Mother's Day in the U.K. which was "killed" by four picture agencies over concerns it had been manipulated.
A story then appeared in Page Six, the Post'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."
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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."
It is, of course, possible the quotes came from someone connected to the Sussexes, expressing a personal opinion, who was not officially authorized to speak on their behalf.
Kate's photo editing has plunged Kensington Palace into a major reputational crisis, with trust in the institution as a reliable source of information at risk.
The princess wrote in a Twitter post on Monday: "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."
Her mea culpa has not stopped pressure from building with normally supportive British newspapers like the Daily Mail becoming more hostile.
A column by Sarah Vine warned William and Kate to "come clean about what's really going on—or risk drowning in a quagmire of their own making."
Richard Eden, the newspaper's diary editor, took a swipe at Prince William for letting Kate take the fall alone when he took the photograph.
He said on his Palace Confidential online show: "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," he added. "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 an explain what you did.' No, it's your job. Take some responsibility."
The palace still have a month before Kate is supposed to reach her loosely framed return-to-work date, according to the original timeline, and there is no guarantee she will be back then.
Jack Royston is Newsweek*'s chief royal correspondent based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on* Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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