Magazine sorry for retouched photo of Duchess Kate


12 Aug 2011

Grazia magazine has apologised to its readers for publishing a cover featuring a retouched photo of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, that depicts her with a tiny waist.

Many readers expressed outrage over the cover of the special May 9 issue to commemorate Kate Middleton’s marriage to Prince William. “She is already tiny,” one user wrote, while another said it looked like Grazia Photoshopped out a rib.

A complaint was even filed with the Press Complaints Commission.

At the time, Grazia denied allegations of retouching, but has now admitted it needed to retouch the photo to remove Prince William from the shot.

In its apology published in the magazine, Grazia explained it wanted “a great image of the duchess on her own, but all the photographs had the duke in, too … so we asked our reproduction house to remove him from the picture.

“This would have left the duchess with only one arm, so they copied over her arm to complete the picture.”

Grazia added it did not intend to make Kate look slimmer.

“We are sorry if this process gave that impression,” the apology read.

Grazia has also said it takes the issue of women’s body image very seriously.

Topmost photo: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, in an official wedding portrait

Grazia