The recent controversy unleashed by the editing of a photograph of Kate Middleton has highlighted the mistakes that royal houses sometimes make when retouching their images.
The Spanish royals have been no stranger to these situations and, over the years, have faced various criticisms for the poor editing of their official photos.
From Christmas montages to missing limbs, these incidents have generated laughter and controversy in public opinion.
The Spanish Royal Family’s failed photoshop
The first major controversy that the Spanish Royal House faced about photo editing dates back to 2005.
On that occasion, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia shared a Christmas image in which they appeared with their grandchildren.
However, it soon became evident that the snapshot was a montage. Queen Sofia herself confessed to having been the author of this peculiar edition, explaining that she had merged a photo of herself with the King and the newborn Leonor with another previous image of her grandchildren in Mallorca.
In 2006, in a Christmas card, Princess Leonor appeared without her left leg due to an editing error.
Although the image sought to convey a Christmas atmosphere, the disappearance of her limb did not go unnoticed and was criticized.
More recently, in 2022, the visit of Juan Carlos’ daughters and some grandchildren to Abu Dhabi was shrouded in controversy because of a photograph in which Pablo Urdangarin’s legs had disappeared.
This fact led to speculation as to whether the young man had been present at the meeting until a new image was published without editing errors.
Other cases where the Spanish Royal Family denied having edited the photo
Christmas 2007 also brought another photographic incident. In the family image shared by the King and Queen, the legs of the then-King Juan Carlos did not seem to fit with the rest of the photograph, giving the impression that he had been digitally repositioned.
Despite suspicions, the Crown flatly denied any editing.
In 2013, it was the turn of a Christmas greeting starring King Felipe and Queen Letizia with their daughters.
On this occasion, the heights of the members of the royal family did not match, generating doubts about whether any editing had been done.
However, the Royal Family assured that the image had been taken at the Prado Museum and that the height differences were due to the use of platforms.
Design is my passion
A rather peculiar incident occurred at Easter 2005, when the Royal Family sent a greeting with an overly simple montage.
The photos of the members of the royal family were cut out and placed on a beige background, a card that left much to be desired for an institution as relevant as the Crown.
These incidents, which have been the subject of ridicule, reflect the challenges faced by royal households in trying to project a flawless image through their official photographs.