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The shocking image is enough to stop you in your tracks – the Duchess of Cambridge all battered and bruised with cuts and contusions all over her face.
Thankfully it’s not real – the image, which is accompanied by the caption “She reported him . . . But nobody believed her” – is digitally altered and part of a hard-hitting campaign in Europe to end domestic violence against women.
But the harrowing image has left royal fans shocked especially as the palace did not give permission for the picture of Kate, who is married to England's future king, Prince William, to be used.
Other high-profile women featured in the campaign include US vice president Kamala Harris, Queen Letizia of Spain and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.
The images were created by Italian artist and activist Alexsandro Palombo, who says his goal is not to imply that any of these women are victims of domestic violence but to create a conversation about the way society tackles the issue.
“Why should a woman report the violence if after the report she is not protected by the institutions and ends up being killed anyway? How can a woman victim of abuse and violence still have faith in the institutions?” he explained in an Instagram post.
“I only see the politics inviting women to report but without taking the responsibility of giving protection and support to the victims. A state that does not protect but leaves women alone in the hands of their tormentor becomes a silent accomplice.”
But many on social media thought he'd gone way too far, with one writing, “You are not funny. Do not use images of women who didn't give you their authorisation.”
Sources: nzherald.co.nz, dailymail.co.uk
