Kate and William fake photos are ‘problem’ for royals with ‘impossible’ decision
Photos depicting members of the Royal Family, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, that have been generated using AI have been flooding social media
The Prince and Princess of Wales (Image: Getty Images)
The royals are being faced with an impossible problem as fake AI-generated photos depicting members of the Firm flood social media, according to an expert.
New technology means fake images showing the likes of the Prince and Princess of Wales, their children and others, are easy to make. Many end up on social media and appear genuine, fooling some fans.
Meanwhile, a recent online trend has also seen AI-generated images and videos showing the royals seemingly promoting businesses or being put in unusual situations. And royal expert Jennie Bond believes that as AI technology improves, it is becoming more of a headache for the palace.
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The royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony(Image: BENJAMIN CREMEL, AFP via Getty Images)
The former BBC royal correspondent told the Mirror: “Yes, it really is a problem – and it seems impossible to know how to solve it. Image is important for the monarchy – they used to hate the idea that it mattered, but they are more PR savvy these days, and they concede that it does.
“If false information and lifelike pictures are circulated, their image in the public eye will be altered and quite possibly damaged.”
Two royals to have already voiced the concern over AI is Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The pair joined a string of A-listers earlier this year in signing a letter calling for a ban on the development of ‘superintelligent’ AI.
The open letter was addressed to companies such as Google and Meta, while Harry also included a personal note with the plea. He wrote: “The future of AI should serve humanity, not replace it. I believe the true test of progress will be not how fast we move, but how wisely we steer. There is no second chance.”
Harry and Meghan have voiced their concerns about AI
Meanwhile, back in 2024, outlandish conspiracy theories circulated on social media about the Princess of Wales following her abdominal surgery. When her surgery was announced back in January, of that year, Kensington Palace initially explained she would not return to duties until after Easter.
But it didn’t stop false information from being spread. Eventually, she revealed she had received a cancer diagnosis and would be undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
And Jennie added: “It also seems like a gross invasion of their privacy, indeed of anyone’s privacy, if pictures that seem so real are shared. And, of course, if you’re royal, they’ll get shared big time.
“I’m not a legal expert, but it seems to me that we need tougher laws to protect our image, and we should all beware of believing what we see on social media.”
