The controversial video footage of the Prince and Princess of Wales out shopping in Windsor released this week was "verified before being published" and Kensington Palace were alerted beforehand, a royal editor for one of Britain's biggest media outlets has revealed.
The highly anticipated footage showed Kate out and about for the first time since stepping out of the public eye to undergo abdominal surgery in January, and was shot by a customer at the Windsor farm shop near the royals' family home. Its release, however, sparked a new slew of conspiracy theories online, with users suggesting it wasn't really Kate.
Now, Matt Wilkinson, the royal editor for The Sun tabloid newspaper in Britain, one of the two outlets that released the footage and interviewed the photographer, has spoken out in its defense.
During a digital Q&A on Wednesday, Wilkinson was asked: "I have heard from an extremely reliable source that the video you released of Kate is in fact not her. Is this true?"
He responded that the person in the footage is "100 percent Kate."
"The video we published is 100 percent Kate. Here at The Sun we have extremely reliable sources and verify our facts," he said.
"I've been a journalist for 22 years and been a royal reporter for four of them.
"The video was verified before being published and there is no more reliable source than an eyewitness and a video which was confirmed."
He went on to criticize the "disinformation" that has been spread online from "people who really aren't in the know but peddle confusion and doubt in an attempt to make themselves look clever."
The video was shot by Nelson Silva, 40, who was shopping at the Windsor estate farm store on Saturday, March 16, where he said he recognized Kate and William.
Speaking to The Sun of the subsequent footage he captured with his phone, he said: "This is a video clearly showing her and William. I saw them with my own eyes. It was a completely relaxed situation."
In a later Q&A answer, Wilkinson revealed that prior to releasing Silva's footage, the royals were given a chance to respond.
"The Sun spoke to Kensington Palace to explain what we would be publishing before we ran the footage and photos," he said.
Newsweek contacted Kensington Palace via email for comment.
The video footage, once shared online, did little to assuage conspiracy theorists who have raised questions about Kate's surgery recovery, general health, personal life and whereabouts during her absence from public appearances.
A number of social media users posted online their disbelief that the woman in the Windsor video was Kate, including reality TV producer and talk-show host Andy Cohen.
Cohen took to X (formerly Twitter) to post "That ain't Kate...." after the video was released and posted a screenshot and poll to his 5.5 million Instagram followers asking: "Is this Princess Kate?"
Kensington Palace have not publicly commented on the video or its release.
Public focus now turns towards Kate's expected return to public life. At the time her surgery was announced back in January, it was stated that this would not be until "after Easter."
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith 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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About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
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