Has Princess Eugenie been airbrushed by Tatler?
The new issue of Tatler has an interesting interview with Princess Eugenie, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York, by editor Geordie Grieg. Eugenie also appears as the magazine cover girl.
Comments suggest that she has been comprehensively airbrushed for the photographs.
Princess Eugenie as she was before entering Tatler’s Photoshop den
The finished result on Tatler’s cover
Allison Pearson of the Daily Mail believes she’s been shaved of a couple of dress sizes and glamorized beyond the call of duty.
What do you think?
She does look “seriously” airbrushed and I think it is a shame because she is a perfectly lovely looking young girl without all of the artificiality.
By Emeline on March 5th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Yes, Emeline, and her right arm looks as if it’s been chopped off.
By John on March 5th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
John, the more I look at these two photographs, the more I doubt that there has been airbrushing. The differences in contour and definition can be explained by good foundation garments, professional makeup and the upswept hairstyle in the Tatler cover shot. She is perfectly lovely in both photographs and, indeed, in real life.
By Gigi on March 5th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
It’s not my favourite photo of her, Gigi, but you’re right, she’s a heck of a goodlookin’ gal.
By John on March 5th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
It seems pretty obvious that she has been “airbrushed”. You can see dark shadowing especially under her left arm and torso, and you can also see it slightly where her right arm should be….(you are right John, it looks as if her arm was chopped off), there is also dark shadowing on the bottom right side of her face – maybe to erase a slight double-chin. I agree it shouldn’t have been done…
By Madelaine on March 5th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Madelaine, and her right waist has definitely been trimmed. Just look at that line beneath the breast — very dodgy.
By John on March 5th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
By Gigi on March 5th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
It is such a shame that the magazine felt that they had to alter her size so much. Airbrushing is natural on those who grace the covers of magazines these days but I think that altering her weight is really sending the wrong message to both Eugenie and other young girls. She is a beautiful, natural, healthy looking young lady and they should have been honoured to have her on the cover of their magazine. Shame on them!
By Ash on March 5th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
i’m with ash – cant imagine what it must do to someone, especially a young womans self esteem know that her “natural” photo is not good and must be air brushed and weight taken off to be suitable for printing….
By coni on March 5th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
I don’t think her face was airbrushed but i think that her shoulders and waist were. I hear what you are saying Gigi about good foundation garments but it would have to have been of the Scarlet O’Hara variety to get that thin a torso and waist.
I have to agree with Coni and Ash that it might not be good for the self esteem that her own looks weren’t sufficient.
Hopefully she will look it from the point of view that all the models are airbrushed and not take in personally.
Also she still looks like herself so I’d be delighted to have a photograph that showed me that stunning!
Alot of people could be airbrushed to high heaven and they would still look like the back of a bus.
By Eliza on March 5th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
forgive me the mixed metaphor!
By Eliza on March 5th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
I have been very interested as a man, to hear all you ladies’ opinions, all this talk about foundation garments etc something I am not terribly familiar with.
Looking at the before photograph, I have to agree she is a very atractive young woman and does not need much ‘mucking about’ with. I would have thought a good hair stylist and a better facial expression would have been all she needed above the neck. Why they had to reproporion her bust and waist I do not know it makes her look pinched in and without her right arm. Facially she looks all washed out so basically I think that they have done her no favours because all the photos of her recently with mum and big sister show her just what she is a very attractive 18 year-old, or nearly.
By Royalist on March 5th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
I’m no expert on airbrushing…she is a very pretty girl in both shots. I prefer the more natural-looking to the more made-up picture. She is a young, pretty girl, and should look like one!
The airbrushing should be saved for when she has more years showing on her face…like me! (Ha Ha!)
By Claire on March 5th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Airbrushed or not I think Eugenie is a stunning young woman. I think she inherited the best of both parents.
By Trudie on March 5th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Sorry, but I don’t appreshiate this topic. I see a young girl, who has been photographed throughout her life on and on, and perhaps she did not like at all those images of her. I see it as a means of presenting herself, just as she herself wishes to appear. This should not be a discussion, as to if there is airbrushing involved, if there is … so there is! She takes the opportunity to get free of press photos, as any young girl her age would revolt against family photografing. She would never be permitted e.g. to enter a model conquest, so what’s left? We should certainly admire her courage to get into the open with such a nice photo, one that she and only she did choose to be broadcast.
She is only a young girl searching her way into the grown up world.
By Gena on March 5th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Agreed, Trudie. Both Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice are both really lovely young ladies!
By Gigi on March 6th, 2008 at 3:44 am
Um, aren’t all magazine covers pretty heavily airbrushed these days? She remains looking more human than most…
By ClassyCanuck on March 6th, 2008 at 5:03 am
If you Google “mirror eugenie tatler airbrushed,” you can find an article detailing what the Mirror thinks was altered. I’m guessing the changes were done digitally rather than with a literal airbrush.
By Aunt Pierre on March 6th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
The airbrushing should be saved for when she has more years showing on her face…like me! (Ha Ha!)
The Queen Mother would have (charmingly, no doubt) disagreed with you. When Cecil Beaton offered to discreetly smooth out the wrinkles in one of his portraits of her, HM declined. “I would not want it to be thought,” she said, “that I had lived for all these years without having anything to show for it.”
By Aunt Pierre on March 6th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
True, true Aunt Pierre! And all the more credit to her! Even though I made the comment (as a joke) I have to say, I don’t understand why so many people have such an issue with showing themselves as they really are!
As I get older, I find myself growing in self-confidence, and happiness, and I would never trade that in for anything!
The Queen Mother had the right idea!
By Claire on March 6th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
The Queen Mother was a one-off’s one-off. She never let age get in the way of anything.
By John on March 6th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Well I have certainly earned my wrinkles around the eyes and have no intention to do any thing about them.
By Trudie on March 7th, 2008 at 2:39 am
I’m an old art director. Eugenie is heavily retouched throughout. Which is sad as the usual response in young ladies to such treatment is the onset of eating disorders to try and actually look like the photographic image in real life. Eugenie is a beautiful young lady as she is. The photo makes her look as if she is fond of drugs, which she is clearly not.
By Mrs. Peperium on March 7th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I saw some pictures of Camilla arriving on the island of Trinidad and she looks like she needs some of those serious foundation garments you mentioned, Gigi.
By Arthur on March 9th, 2008 at 1:24 am
Arthur, I agree with you. Camilla looks dowdy and not at all well-groomed. Her clothes are expensive, no doubt, but do not fit her properly. Also, something seriously needs to be done with her hair. The windblown look only suits twenty-somethings, not someone Camilla’s age.
By Gigi on March 9th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Yes but Camilla is trying. We all miss that beautiful woman Charles use to have on his arms, who always looked elegant in everything she wore. Diana is one missed person. But Camilla is nearly 61 and I do think she dresses well but not all the time. But again, she tries. I often wonder what she will look like on Charles’s Coronation Day.
By Claudius on March 10th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Camilla has not regained her old sparkle since her operation. And, as most people know, despite the luxury, holidays can be very gruelling occasions. I try to avoid them wherever possible.
By John on March 11th, 2008 at 10:26 am