Buckingham Palace posted a photo of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip on social media to mark his 99th birthday. It was taken outside the Windsor Castle, where the royal couple has been staying in isolation to protect their health from the coronavirus pandemic.
However, some royal fans don't think that the image is real. Twitter users have apparently accused the palace of editing the snap via photoshop for health-related reasons, per the Daily Express.
The same discussion also sparked a discussion in a Facebook royal family private group. Some say that the image of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip was badly Photoshopped and it was evident on the Queen's hands. Others say that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were not physically together when this image was taken indoors and that it had to be superimposed to the Windsor Castle background outdoor.
According to the fans, the shadows of the royals don't match the bright background. For some, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip also look "too young" and healthier. Conspiracy theories abound that Buckingham Palace posted the fake photo to assure the public, amid the pandemic and the protest riots, that the United Kingdom's monarch and her better half are still in great health.
But there are royal fans who have also shut down those who call out the photo as fake. Some people don't care whether the image was digitally altered or not and are only happy to see the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh together. Daily Express tried to reach Buckingham Palace for a comment but royal aides don't have anything to say in the matter.
While Prince Philip did have health issues in December, which required a four-day hospitalization in London, his doctors said that it's a routine check and a precautionary measure for a pre-existing condition. Prince Philip was even able to walk in and out of the hospital on his own.
The Duke of Edinburgh has been out of the public eye since his retirement in 2017. He has been spending his retirement years at his estate in Wood Farm, Sandringham but had to move to Windsor Castle in mid-March to join his wife in coronavirus isolation.
About two dozen royal aides are taking care of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in Windsor Castle. They follow a strict health protocol of staying in quarantine for three weeks before and after their work shift to ensure that they don't spread the virus to Windsor or when they return to their families.
