Prince William has spoken out about his "arty" wife, Kate Middleton, for the first time since she was forced to apologize for editing her first official photograph following abdominal surgery back in January.
At a youth community charity event in London on Thursday, the prince joked "my wife is the arty one," as he decorated cookies with teens. He later went on to reference Kate in a speech dedicated to his mother, Princess Diana's, charity legacy marking the 25th anniversary of the Diana Awards.
"She [Diana] taught me that everyone has the potential to give something back, that everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life," he said.
"That legacy is something that both Catherine and I have sought to focus on through our work."
The Context
William's comments about Kate come as the princess continues to feature at the center of a photoshopping scandal. This was sparked when social media users spotted evidence of image manipulation throughout a portrait of the princess and her three children released to mark Mother's Day in Britain on March 10.
The photo served a significant dual purpose as it also marked the first official photo of Kate since Christmas Day, after which she stepped out of the public eye to undergo abdominal surgery and a lengthy period of recovery.
Just over 24 hours after the photo was first released, Kate issued a rare personal apology via social media. She said that "like many amateur photographers," she does "occasionally experiment with editing," adding that she apologized for any "confusion" the image caused.
William's references to Kate at events on Thursday came after a director of one of the world's largest news agencies said that Kensington Palace was no longer considered to be a "reliable source" as a result of the princess' actions.
What We Know
On March 14, Prince William undertook two high profile engagements in London. These were solo engagements as the Princess of Wales' diary continues to be empty as she recovers from abdominal surgery.
William first visited the WEST OnSide Youth Zone in Hammersmith and Fulham where he met with young people and organizers at the scheme which aims to help the community's youth population develop skills needed to build successful futures.
During the visit, William reportedly engaged in a conversation about social media and how it can consume young people's time. "The grown-ups are guilty of it too," he said, per the Daily Telegraph. "We have got to be better at it."
It was during a cookery demonstration during which he decorated cookies that the prince referenced his wife, Kate.
Reflecting on his own artistic skills, he said: "My wife is the arty one."
Later that evening, William attended the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Diana Award. This youth focused charity is the only one to bare Princess Diana's name and both William and Prince Harry have supported it throughout the years.
Giving a speech at the event, the royal told guests that both he and Kate kept Diana's legacy in mind when doing their own charity work.
"This evening's Legacy Award is particularly special as it marks the 25th anniversary year of The Diana Award—a charity set up to reflect my mother's belief that young people can change the world," he said.
"I know that she would have been honored to see a charity in her name doing such inspirational work to uplift young people from all corners of the globe.
"She taught me that everyone has the potential to give something back, that everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life.
"That legacy is something that both Catherine and I have sought to focus on through our work, as have the 50,000 young people who have received a Diana Award over the past 25 years.
"I am incredibly proud to see this manifested in the amazing young people receiving the Legacy Award tonight."
Views
As the controversy surrounding Kate's photo and apology continues to be discussed, some commentators have called into question whether information provided by Kensington Palace can continue to be taken as trustworthy.
This is of particular significance as it is through the palace alone that the public have been provided with updates about Kate's health following her abdominal surgery.
Asked during an appearance on BBC Radio 4's The Media Show on Wednesday whether the palace was considered to be a trustworthy source of information, Phil Chetwynd, the global news director of Agence France-Presse (AFP), said: "No, absolutely not."
"Like with anything, when you're let down by a source the bar is raised," he said. "We sent out notes to all our teams at the moment to be absolutely super more vigilant about the content coming across our desk. Even from what we would call trusted sources."
What's Next
As Prince William has resumed a reduced schedule of public engagements while his wife continues her recovery from surgery, fans of the princess will not expect to see her at royal events again for some time yet.
Back in January, when Kate's surgery was first announced to have taken place, Kensington Palace said she was not expected to return to public duties until "after Easter" (March 31).
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.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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
