On Monday, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shared their Christmas card with the world.
And because it’s 2024 — a time when even holiday greetings are divisive — the photo they used has sparked numerous controversies.
The card featured six photos of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex engaged in various wholesome activities.
We see them putting in public appearances, greeting supporters, and generally behaving like respectable American royals.
But because the haters felt the need to maximize their creepiness, the pic that’s getting the most attention is the one that shows Harry and Meghan embracing their two children.
Meghan Markle Photoshop Allegations
Conspiracy theorists are convinced that Meghan and Harry — though Meghan seems to be receiving the bulk of the allegations — have doctored the photo.
The commentary on social media ranges from typical Photoshop accusations to claims that Harry and Meghan “rent[ed] a kid for the holidays.”
Prince Harry & Meghan’s Christmas card ! ???????? pic.twitter.com/Wi5ZvdQJtG
— Iris ???? (@IrisTheeScholar) December 16, 2024
That quote was one of many compiled by The Daily Mail, who documented some of the more bonkers theories about the Sussexes’ card.
Many of the wildest allegations came from an X (formerly Twitter) user who identified herself as “a royal historian.”
“Meghan’s arm is twice as long as a normal arm. The black dog has 3 legs and a strange shimmering edge to his body,” this alleged historian wrote. And the list went on from there:
“Archie went from dark auburn hair to dead straight ginger hair. Meghan’s feet face forward but her torso is side on. Both kids are exactly the same height despite a two-year age difference.”
Many X users alleged that the Sussexes intentionally used a low-resolution photo in order to hide inconsistencies.
But as the Mail notes, the photo was one of six featured in a grid, so it makes sense that it looks a bit blurry when magnified.
“Archie hasn’t grown in two years and is the same size as his younger sister… What is this garbage?” one user asked.
“Who thought this scene with such OBVIOUS staging was a good idea?” another alleged.
The Mail consulted with a Photoshop expert named James Middleton (no relation to Kate) who said that the size of the photo makes it difficult to determine if it’s been altered.
“It is going to be very hard to work out the authenticity,” James told the outlet, adding that it’s “far too small” to analyze in the same way that he and others assessed Kate Middleton’s Mother’s Day photo.
It’s certainly possible that Harry and Meghan touched up the photo before making it public.
That’s not an uncommon practice nowadays, even among non-celebrities.
Fortunately, most of us have the freedom to slap a filter on our profile pics without incurring the wrath of thousands of weird strangers.