The British monarchy is still immersed in a worrying crisis of public confidence after the controversy over the edited photo of the Princess of Wales, two months after her mysterious “abdominal surgery” that has given rise to all kinds of conjectures by the media.
The princes of Wales, William and Catherine, two of the most beloved members of royalty in this country, have become in the last days a focus of questions after a difficult week for the institution.
The Financial Times (FT) recalls today that since the princess’ hospitalization in January and since she was removed from public life, speculation has varied, raising all kinds of theories “that go from being in a coma to having undergone a facial stretch or is divorcing,” among others.
This newspaper also raises another interesting debate of what he calls the “Kate Gate”, the one that surrounds the reconciliation on its public and private role: “Being exposed is what has kept the monarchy for centuries. If someone disappears for too long, the citizens take their revenge,” he says.
He also notes that Catalina’s paradox is that she “suffers in part because of her popularity” and she sums that the “obsession with her private life” could be due to the fact that the number of members who actively work for the institution has been reduced “accidentally” with the cancellation of commitments by William to take care of his children, after the departure of the Dukes of Sussex to California (United States) and with Prince Andrew at disgrace.
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Although the media tsunami has declined in the United Kingdom, the firstborn of Carlos III and his wife are still analyzed with a magnifying glass for their way of managing the dissemination on March 10 – Mother’s Day in this country – in their X account of an image of Catalina and her three children that she later confessed that she had retouched.
Several international graphic agencies took the unusual decision to remove the photo from their services when she realized that it had been manipulated, which forced the princess to publicly admit that she herself had edited it by “experimenting as an amateur photographer” and apologizing for it.
Given the opacity that surrounds Catalina’s state of health since her operation on January 16, the image, in which she was seen sitting with her children very smiling, aroused great public expectation.
In the photo, some slight inconsistencies could be noticed in the line of Princess Carlota’s cuff, the print of Luis’s sweater and other blurred contours.
“Like many amateur photographers, I occasionally experiment with (photo) editing,” he wrote in X Catalina, who expressed his apologies “for any confusion” that the incident had caused.
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Despite the fact that the family tried to downplay those tweaks – probably made with editing programs or with the mobile – emphasizing the informality of the image, for many experts the incident undermines the credibility of royalty and their messages.
The episode, which has been echoed by media from all over the world, also takes on particular relevance at a time when speculations do not cease about the nature of Catalina’s ailment, of which absolutely nothing is known, except that it is not cancer and that will keep her away from her commitments until after Easter.
King Charles III, who is undergoing cancer treatment, and Camila, whose press office is different from that of the princes of Wales, have remained out of this controversy.
The controversial British presenter Piers Morgan wondered this week on his YouTube channel if the royal family “is hiding something” and insinuated – although he did not confirm – that he had heard “alarming” rumors related to the princess.
“I have been told things that, even if only half of them were true, it is quite alarming what is happening. I don’t know what to believe, nor any of us. We’re not there,” he said.
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Since the publication of the photo, local media have been attentive to the movements of royals, and documented how Prince William and Catherine left together on Monday by car from their residence in Windsor (about 40 kilometers from London).
According to the palace, William was on his way to a religious service in London’s Westminster Abbey for Commonwealth Day (the Commonwealth of Ancient British Territories), while his wife, who was already known not to attend, was on her way to a private appointment.
Venezuela Earthquakes Spark Diplomatic Thaw With Former Critics
The devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela have triggered an unprecedented diplomatic thaw between Caracas and several governments that had maintained strained relations with the country, raising hopes that the humanitarian response could pave the way for broader international engagement under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The United States, Chile, Argentina, El Salvador and Israel were among the first countries to announce humanitarian assistance, deploy search-and-rescue teams or establish direct contact with acting President Delcy Rodríguez to coordinate relief efforts in the hardest-hit areas.
Canada also joined the international response by announcing humanitarian aid while opening a domestic debate over the importance of maintaining diplomatic representation in countries such as Venezuela to better respond to emergencies and assist its citizens abroad.
The wave of international cooperation marks a sharp contrast to the diplomatic tensions that followed Venezuela’s disputed presidential election on July 28, 2024, in which Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner.
In the aftermath of that vote, the governments of Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay publicly questioned the official election results, triggering one of the region’s most significant diplomatic crises in recent years.
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The Venezuelan government responded by withdrawing its diplomatic personnel from several of those countries and demanding the departure of their representatives, further deepening the country’s international isolation.
The humanitarian emergency created by the twin earthquakes has now prompted renewed communication between Caracas and governments that had previously suspended or significantly reduced diplomatic engagement, underscoring how major natural disasters can temporarily reshape international relations despite longstanding political disagreements.
Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Surpasses 1,700 as Search for Survivors Continues
Venezuelan authorities have raised the death toll from last week’s twin earthquakes to more than 1,700, as rescue teams continue searching for survivors in the country’s hardest-hit coastal region.
According to the latest official report released on Sunday, the powerful earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, have claimed at least 1,719 lives. National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez also reported that 5,034 people were injured, while 15,866 have been displaced and another 22,619 are receiving medical care.
The United Nations has expressed growing concern over the scale of the disaster, estimating that as many as 68,000 people could still be missing.
La Guaira bears the brunt of the disaster
The coastal state of La Guaira has suffered the greatest loss of life and the most extensive damage. The Venezuelan government has declared the area a disaster zone and placed it under military control as emergency operations continue.
Five days after the earthquakes struck, search-and-rescue teams remain on the ground, supported by additional heavy equipment and international rescue crews. However, hopes of finding more survivors beneath the rubble continue to diminish with each passing day.
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One of the most dramatic rescue operations unfolded Monday in Catia La Mar, where emergency teams from El Salvador, Mexico, and Venezuela worked together to reach a 21-year-old man who has remained trapped inside a collapsed building since the earthquakes struck.
The twin earthquakes hit Venezuela on June 24, with the epicenter located between San Felipe and Yumare in the country’s northern region. The first quake, measuring magnitude 7.2, struck at 6:04 p.m. local time. Just 39 seconds later, a second and stronger magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred farther to the southeast. Combined, the seismic activity lasted nearly three minutes, causing widespread devastation across several regions of the country.
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
Not even the wires were left behind at a small grocery store. Before the ground had even stopped shaking, looting and theft began in the areas hardest hit by the double earthquake that struck Venezuela.
Reports of robberies have multiplied in the coastal state of La Guaira, located near Caracas and now transformed into a landscape of collapsed buildings and debris.
Videos circulating on social media show groups of people removing boxes of household appliances from a damaged store. Other images show similar boxes being carried on top of vehicles and motorcycles.
Social media platforms have also been filled with accusations against police officers and military personnel who allegedly stole from homes and even from victims who died during the disaster.
A branch of a major pharmacy chain was looted, along with supermarkets and other businesses. Some residents have described the situation as “disaster tourism,” while others say the looting reflects hunger and desperation among people who lost everything in a country already facing a prolonged economic crisis.
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“Is it fair that our own people turn against our own people?” said María Esther Bernal, 71, who rented commercial spaces to Chinese merchants, all of which were looted. “They left nothing behind, not even the wallpaper. They even took the cables,” she said.
“Next door, a man died. He was Chinese. People walked over his body while they looted the place. It was a supermarket,” she added.
An AFP journalist witnessed looting in La Guaira since Thursday, following the earthquakes.
Jenifer Mayora, 34, defended some of the actions, saying that “the things people took were because the owners of the stores allowed us to take them.”
However, she criticized the limited response from authorities. “I have been waiting for a mattress so my children can sleep,” she said.
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Residents have expressed anger over what they describe as a slow and insufficient response from authorities after the double earthquake, which has left around 1,450 people dead and tens of thousands missing.
Communities are demanding not only faster rescue operations in La Guaira, but also stronger security measures and urgent assistance with food, water, and medicine.
