May 21, 2013

Edition: U.S.

Style

The Huffington Post | By Jessica Misener | Posted: 09/20/12 08:04 AM ET | Updated: 09/20/12 05:16 PM ET

Did Star Magazine Photoshop Kate Middleton's Baby Bump? (PHOTOS, POLL)

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Kate Middleton, Polls, Video, Kate Middleton Photos, Kate Middleton Photoshop, Kate Middleton Pregnant, Star Magazine, Duchess Kate Pics, Kate Middleton Baby, Kate Middleton Baby Bump, Kate Middleton Magazine, Kate Middleton Star Magazine, Kate Middleton Water, Kate Star Magazine, Style News

You've heard the big Kate Middleton story this week right? No, no. Not that one. The one that the Duchess of Cambridge is super duper pregnant.

In its September 17th issue, Star magazine first crowed, "It's Official -- Kate's Pregnant!" And just a week later, they "confirm" that "It's Twins!" A family friend supposedly tells the mag that Kate had an early pregnancy test done and her hormone levels indicated that two royal babies were on the way. The huge photo of the duchess in her Prabal Gurung dress from the state dinner in Singapore last week even seems to show Catherine with a hint of a bump.

Well, take that with however huge a grain of salt you wish. But there might be something even more dubious... is that baby bump a figment of someone's overzealous photo retouching?

HuffPost columnist Naughty But Nice Rob first spotted the potential retouching. We took a closer look, and yep -- something fishy is definitely going on her.

First of all, Star flipped the wire photo horizontally, which is standard publishing practice, and they've also lightened the duchess' hair and face. But in our opinion, the retouching seems to go further. The lines of Catherine's dress appeared fuzzy on Star's cover, a sure sign that they've been manipulated (i.e., pressed outward to suggest a bump, perhaps?). They also seem to have removed a ring from her right hand and re-adjusted the water glass so it could be closer to her face. The placement of the "William's Warning!" graphic, which covers her backside, also makes her slim figure look wider than it is.

Her Royal Highness has obviously never posed for a magazine cover, but that hasn't stopped mags from plucking out a file photo and slapping it on their fronts. Grazia famously stuck Catherine on their cover after the royal wedding, facing outcry after they first photoshopped Kate's waist into a toothpick.

Check out the cover vis-a-vis the actual photo below and tell us... is Star being suspicious?

Quick Poll

Does this cover look Photoshopped to you?

kate middleton pregnant

See more of Catherine's mag covers (none of which she sat for)...

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Hello! UK, December 2012
Vanity Fair, September 2012
Marie Claire South Africa, August 2012
The New Republic, July 12, 2012
Hello! UK, June 2012
People, May 28, 2012
Us Weekly, April 2012
Fabulous!, April 29, 2012
OK! Philippines, April 2012
People, April 4, 2012
Hello! Magazine, March 2012
OK! UK, March 2012
OK! UK, March 2012
Tatler, February 2012
Grazia France, January 2012
Hello! UK, January 2012
Hello! Magazine, January 2012
Us Weekly, December 2011
Hello! December 2011
Gala Germany, December 2011
Us Weekly, November 2011
Star, November 2011
Hello! UK, November 2011
In Touch, November 2011
Hello! UK, November 2011
Hello! UK, November 2011
Hello! UK, October 2011
Us Weekly, October 2011
Life & Style Weekly, August 2011
Vanity Fair, July 2011
People, July 2011
Life & Style Weekly, July 2011
Hello!, July 2011
Us Weekly, July 2011
Hello! UK, June 2011
Us Weekly, May 2011
Hola! Mexico, May 2011
In Touch Weekly, May 2011
Us Weekly, May 2011
Grazia, May 2011
OK!, April 2011
Hello! Magazine, January 2011
Hello!, December 2010
People, December 6, 2010
Ok!, December 2010
Star, December 2010
Us Weekly, December 2010
Us Weekly, December 2010
Hello! UK, November 2010
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