The Prince and Princess of Wales found themselves embroiled in controversy as their attempt to spread holiday cheer sparked accusations of Photoshop mishaps.

Prince William and Kate Middleton took to their joint Instagram account to share the family’s 2023 Christmas card, which featured their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

The black-and-white Christmas card garnered significant attention, and over 20,000 comments flooded the post.

Many eagle-eyed fans were quick to point out alleged errors they spotted in the photo. Observers noticed that William, George and Louis appeared to be wearing dark pants paired with white button-down shirts, while Kate and Charlotte opted for jeans and white blouses. Prince Louie even seemed to have lost a finger.

Shortly after they shared their festive photo, William and Middleton posted a video on Instagram that showcased the family package gifts for children in need. The footage was filmed at The Baby Bank in Maidenhead, located near the family’s residence in Windsor.

The video, expertly captured by Will Warr, showed George, Charlotte, and Louis’ energetic selection of toys, clothes and books from the donation shelves to fill bags for children their own age.

William and Middleton captioned the video, “Our experiences, relationships and surroundings during early childhood lay foundations that shape the rest of our lives, and future society. Supporting parents and carers, who are doing their best to provide for their families in challenging circumstances is essential and can have a life-changing impact.”

They continued, “Baby Banks are warm, caring places for families to access equipment, products, clothes and toys to help relieve some of the stresses creating significant pressures on people caring for babies and young children.”

However, their philanthropic efforts coincided with the release of a report by the Centre for Social Justice, which painted a grim picture of the increased societal divisions and heightened poverty. The report highlighted that the gap between mainstream society and those trapped in poverty is only on the rise and is on track to rival the wealth disparities witnessed in the Victorian era. Additionally, it emphasized the “catastrophic” impact of Covid-19 lockdowns on the nation’s social fabric.

The combination of the royal family’s seemingly flawed Christmas card and the contrasted realities depicted in the report sparked a wave of discussion and debate. Critics questioned the optics of the royals’ holiday message and suggested that it may have inadvertently highlighted the stark disparities and challenges faced by marginalized communities in these hard financial times.

In May, Prince William notably snubbed his brother, Prince Harry, at their father’s coronation.

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