8 of Kate Middleton's Biggest Scandals Before the Photoshop Controversy
March 22 2024, Published 5:00 a.m. ET
A Photo of Topless Kate Middleton Appeared on a Magazine Cover
Two suspects were charged over Kate Middleton's topless photos.
French magazine Closer obtained exclusive pictures of Kate Middleton topless on the terrace of Viscount Linley's private chateau and published them in 2012. Clarence House released a statement about the pictures, which left the Princess of Wales and Prince William "in anger and disbelief."
"[Prince William and Kate] have been hugely saddened to learn that a French publication and a photographer have invaded their privacy in such a grotesque and totally unjustifiable manner," part of the statement read.
The royal family sued Closer after it published the photos under the headline, "Oh My God! The photos that will go round the world."
A few years after the publication, Kate won the case and was awarded $118,000.
Did She Edit Their Holiday Card?
The public also noticed an 'extra leg' in the snap.
Following Kate's recent photo blunder, the issue regarding the Prince and Princess of Wales' 2023 family Christmas card resurfaced.
The Kensington Palace released the black-and-white photo in December 2023, showing Prince William and Kate alongside their three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Many noticed that the youngest child appeared to be missing the middle finger on his left hand, sparking rumors it was a result of another photo editing gaffe.
After the issue emerged, a source told Us Weekly the couple was embarrassed by how people thought they edited their holiday card.
Kate Middleton Reportedly Edited Queen Elizabeth II's Photo
Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022.
The royal photo editing saga continued after Getty Images found "inconsistencies" in a photo featuring Queen Elizabeth II and several royal children. The photo, posted in April 2023, was taken by Kate at Balmoral Castle.
"Getty Images has reviewed the image in question and placed an editor's note on it, stating that the image has been digitally enhanced at source," a Getty Images spokesperson told The Telegraph.
According to InStyle, Kate also photoshopped the photo.
Kate Middleton Allegedly Feuded With Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry appeared in the two-hour primetime special with Oprah Winfrey.
During Prince Harry and 's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, the former Suits actress addressed the rumors about her and Kate Middleton's feud and claimed the "reverse happened."
According to Meghan, Kate made her cry a week before her royal wedding.
"And I don't say that to be disparaging to anyone, because it was a really hard week of the wedding, and she was upset about something. But she owned it, and she apologized, and she brought me flowers and a note apologizing," she told Winfrey.
Kate Middleton Dealt With Prince William's Infidelity Rumors
Kate dealt with Prince William's infidelity rumors in 2019 when the heir to the throne was accused of having an affair with their close friend, Rose Hanbury. They never addressed the buzz.
"Kate finds the rumors hurtful, obviously, and hates the thought that one day her children will be able to read about them online," a friend of the Middleton family told Us Weekly.
The insider continued, "It forced her and William to sit back and examine their relationship, which they realized they should have been doing more often."
Kate Middleton Was Blamed for Prince Harry's Nazi Costume
In 2005, Prince Harry found himself in hot water when he wore a Nazi costume to a Halloween Party. He revealed in his memoir, Spare, that Prince William and Kate picked the outfit for him.
"I went up and down the rows, sifting through the racks, seeing nothing I liked. With time running out I narrowed my options to two. A British pilot's uniform. And a sand-colored Nazi uniform. With a swastika armband. And a flat cap," Prince Harry wrote.
He continued, "I phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought. Nazi uniform, they said. I rented it, plus a silly mustache, and went back to the house. I tried it all on. They both howled."
The Princess of Wales Was Named in Racism Accusations
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle revealed further details about the accusations in their interview with Oprah Winfrey.
In their tell-all interview, Harry and Meghan claimed two royals questioned Prince Archie's skin color before his birth. In the Dutch version of royal expert Omid Scobie's 2023 book Endgame, he disclosed that Kate was one of the two members in question.
However, sources debunked the claims following the book's revelation.
"Kate was 100 percent not one of the people who discussed it. She is saddened that her name got pulled into this because she had nothing to do with it," an insider said.
What Does 'Waity Katie' Mean?
Prince William and Kate Middleton wed at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011.
Before Prince William and Kate's royal wedding in 2011, they went through a brief split in 2007 that caused the press to mock the duchess by calling her "Waity Katie." She was also rudely referred to using the nickname due to her lack of career and the time she spent waiting for the royal to propose to her.
The couple reconciled a year later.
