Grant Harrold, King Charles's former butler, was forced to issue a lengthy statement after posting what appeared to be an AI-generated photograph of the Prince and Princess of Wales on social media.
The image, which seemed to be taken within royal grounds, depicted Prince William and Catherine in an affectionate embrace.
Mr Harrold captioned the post: "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."
The post was subsequently shared by journalist Katie Nicholl, who responded with the comment: "Love this!"
King Charles's ex-butler was forced to issue a statement after sharing what appeared to be an AI-generated image of William and Catherine
|INSTAGRAM: THE ROYAL BUTLER
However, doubts have emerged regarding whether the photograph is genuine. One royal fan commented: "Oh wow, is it real or AI?"
Another quipped: "I don't even know what's real anymore."
However, someone else posted: "A lovely photo of a young couple in love in the most natural way. They look so calm and content. Thank you for sharing."
A royal source told the Mail: "I can see why questions are being asked by others."
Grant Harrold issued the following statement on social media
|INSTAGRAM: THE ROYAL BUTLER
After the controversy erupted, Mr Harrold commented underneath his own Instagram post: "After reading a few comments I would like to reiterate that I did not take or own this image. It is how I remember them in my early years in the Royal Household."
When contacted by GB News, Mr Harrold's representatives shared the following statement by the former butler: "It has come to my attention that the authenticity of a recent image I shared has been questioned to be AI.
"I love sharing my experiences and memories of working with the royal family and I strive for my content to be a reflection of the great years I spent as part of the household.
"I did not take or own the image of William and Kate that I posted. I always try to do my due diligence before sharing any posts - to me, I only saw in this image a young William and Kate that reminded me so much of how they were when I first had the pleasure of working for them.
Prince William and his then-girlfriend Catherine enjoying the rugby Six Nations Championship at Twickenham in 2007
|PA
"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. While I may be adept at telling my dinner knife from my butter knife, AI, as I'm sure you can all agree, can be harder to detect.
"Moving forward, I will be more cautious of the content I choose to share with my followers and will endeavour to ensure my platform remains an authentic and positive space that celebrates the royal family."
Prince William and Catherine's romance first became public in 2004 following photographs of them skiing in Switzerland.
Mr Harrold commenced his employment with King Charles at the Highgrove estate that same year, remaining in service until being made redundant seven years later.
Grant Harrold worked as a royal butler for King Charles | GB NEWSFollowing his departure, he received an undisclosed financial settlement after making allegations of unfair dismissal and workplace bullying.
His royal service also extended to working for William and Catherine, as well as the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Mr Harrold later appeared as a butler on the reality programme Country House and has become a frequent television commentator on royal matters.
His earlier attempt to trademark the "Royal Butler" name ended when the Intellectual Property Office ruled in favour of the late Queen following objections from her legal representatives.