'How I remember them': King Charles' former butler responds to AI controversy surrounding Prince William and Kate Middleton picture

Grant Harrold, who served as King Charles’ butler from 2004 to 2011, posted an Instagram image of Prince William and Kate Middleton on his account this week. The photo, taken in 2004, showed the couple in casual attire—white T-shirts and blue jeans—with Kate on William’s lap, smiling at the camera. Harrold captioned it as a 'true royal love story,' but social media users quickly questioned its authenticity, with many claiming it looked AI-generated. Harrold responded in the comments, clarifying that he did not take or own the photo but shared it as a memory of their early years in the royal household. He later addressed the controversy on Instagram Stories, admitting he 'genuinely mistook' the image for an authentic photograph. He acknowledged the difficulty of detecting AI-generated content and apologized for the oversight. The former butler promised to be more cautious in the future, ensuring his posts remain authentic and positive. Neither Prince William nor Kate Middleton has publicly commented on the incident. Harrold’s post received over 20,000 likes before the backlash began, highlighting the public’s fascination with royal family imagery. The controversy underscores growing concerns about AI-generated content, even in high-profile contexts like royal family depictions. Harrold’s admission reflects broader challenges in verifying digital media in an era where deepfakes and AI tools are increasingly accessible.