Princess Kate’s video on her cancer treatment is not a deepfake

By: Nikolaj Kristensen
March 26 2024

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(Source: X/Screenshots)

What's the claim? 

On Friday, March 22, 2024, Princess Catherine of Wales (frequently referred to as Kate) released via the BBC a video statement that she is being treated for cancer. 

Following the announcement, claims appeared on social media that the video was a deepfake, pointing to as evidence that a ring at one point in the video seemingly disappears from Kate's finger, and that Kate appears to be wearing the same shirt as she did in a 2016 promo for a mental health campaign.  

The claims come after high-profile news agencies withdrew two photos released by the Royal family due to signs that the photo had been manipulated.

However, BBC Studios, which recorded the recent video statement, has vouched for its authenticity and is supported by analog and digital video analysis. 

In fact  

Seemingly to end speculation on the authenticity of Kate's video statement, BBC Studios released a statement on the same day as the video, saying, "BBC Studios filmed a message from the Princess of Wales at Windsor this week. We would like to wish Her Royal Highness a speedy recovery." 

Logically Facts had the video analysed by Itisaar, a deepfake detection service, that found no signs of manipulation apart from standard video production touchups. 

"It is a professionally created video and post-processing touchup has been done (both in audio and frames). Our analysis of the original video is a 'real' classification, and we did not find any deepfake cues," Mayank Vatsa of Itisaar told Logically Facts.

As proof that the video is inauthentic, online posts point to Kate's shirt, claiming she wore the same shirt in a 2016 promo for the Heads Together campaign. 

However, a side-by-side comparison of the promo video to Kate's recent video statement shows that it's not the same shirt. The trimmings on the body and sleeves of the shirt worn by Kate in the recent video are visibly broader, and the black lines across the shirt are visibly thinner than those seen on the shirt in the promo. The shirt in the recent video also appears to have a looser fit.

 There are very clear differences between the shirt Kate wore in the recent video statement (above) and the one she wore in the 2016 promo (below). (Source: BBC/YouTube/Screenshots/edited by Logically Facts)

The claims of Kate's ring disappearing in the video don't hold up either, as the ring does not disappear but is simply blurred by the movement of Kate's hand.

Logically Facts has contacted BBC Studios for further comment and will update this article if and when we receive a response. 

Context 

Conspiracy theories revolving around Princess Kate's health and whereabouts started circulating as she was out of the public eye following an abdominal surgery she underwent on January 16.

The online claims intensified after a photo released by Kensington Palace on March 10, 2024, showing Kate and her children, was withdrawn by several high-profile news agencies due to signs that the photo had been manipulated.

When footage of Princess Kate and Prince William visiting a Windsor farm shop appeared on March 18, people speculated online that the video wasn't authentic or that it wasn't Kate but an impersonator appearing in the video. 

Few days before the BBC released Kate's video statement, another Royal family photo - a portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth II with some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren - was withdrawn from image databases due to manipulation concerns. 

The verdict

Logically Facts' analysis of the video refutes claims made online that Kate is wearing the same shirt as in a 2016 promo and that her ring disappears in the recent video statement. Digital analysis classified the video as 'real' and BBC Studios has vouched for its authenticity. Therefore we have marked claims of the video being a deepfake as false.