King Charles Ex-Butler Clarifies AI William Kate Photo
King Charles’s former butler Mr Grant Harrold has issued a public clarification after sharing a photo he believed showed Prince William and Princess Kate in the early days of their relationship, only for followers to question whether it was generated by artificial intelligence. The incident underscores ongoing scrutiny around manipulated images involving the Royal Family and the speed at which misinformation can spread online.
Hello Magazine reported that Mr Harrold, who worked for King Charles and Queen Camilla between 2004 and 2011, posted the picture on Instagram with the caption: “This wonderful photo of the Prince and Princess of Wales was taken when I first met them back in 2004. A true royal love story,” before commenters suggested the image looked AI-generated.
In a follow-up statement shared on social media, Mr Harrold said he did not take or own the image, adding that he “genuinely mistook this to be an authentic image” and that he tries to do “due diligence” before sharing posts. He also warned that AI imagery “can be hard to detect”, according to the report.
Mr Harrold’s comment comes amid wider interest in King Charles’s current public engagements and approach to royal optics, with recent Britpop News coverage noting how he reportedly joked after a cake slice wobbled during an appearance.
Hello Magazine said the photo in question was presented as a throwback to 2004, the year Mr Harrold joined the royal household, and it reiterated that Prince William and Princess Kate’s relationship became public that year after they were photographed together on a ski trip in Klosters. The episode is likely to add to calls for extra caution when sharing archival-looking images online, particularly when they involve senior royals.
