Grant Harrold has issued a clarification after sharing a photo of Prince William and Catherine that royal fans later claimed appeared to be AI-generated.
Grant, who worked as a butler for King Charles III and Queen Camilla from 2004 to 2011, also spent time serving the Prince and Princess of Wales, Harry, and other senior royals during his years in the royal household.
Now working as a broadcaster and royal commentator, Grant frequently shares memories and photographs linked to his time with the royal family. Most recently, he posted what appeared to be an early photo of William and Catherine from the beginning of their relationship.
Sharing the image on Instagram, he wrote: “This wonderful photo of the Prince and Princess of Wales was taken when I first met them back in 2004. A true royal love story.”
However, several royal followers questioned the image’s authenticity, pointing to blurry details and unusual angles that suggested it may have been created using artificial intelligence.
Grant later responded with a public clarification, explaining that he did not take or own the image.
He said he had genuinely believed the picture was authentic because it closely reflected how he remembered William and Catherine during his early years working for the royal household.
“I genuinely mistook this to be an authentic image of the pair. On seeing it, it made me smile and I wanted to share this joy with you,” Grant explained, while also warning that AI-generated images can sometimes be difficult to identify.
