Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson was duped into an interview by a British YouTuber who pretended to be the person who botched the editing of Kate Middleton’s Mother’s Day photo.
Archie Manners, one half of the duo Josh & Archie, falsely claimed to have been a digital content creator at Kensington Palace. Still, he got an interview with the former Fox News host.
‘We’ve done our best to verify that your identity is who you say it is, yyou’re not a fake Navalny or pulling a prank or something,’ Carlson said during the interview, referring to the Russian whistleblower.
But after the interview — which hasn’t aired on Carlson’s X channel — Manners and fellow prankster Josh Pieters revealed the stunt, saying it was so the anchor’s followers wouldn’t be fooled.
The joke comes as the debate over the infamous Mother’s Day photo of Kate and her children continues. The image was released in the wake of her health scare but was quickly identified as doctored, sparking new theories about her condition.
Prank YouTubers Archie Manners and Josh Pieters created an edited version of Kate Middleton’s infamous Mother’s Day photo for an interview with Tucker Carlson
The joke comes as the debate over the infamous Mother’s Day photo of Kate and her children continues. The image was released in the wake of her health scare, but was quickly identified as doctored when people pointed out several irregularities
Manners introduced himself as a former ‘digital content creator’ for Kensington Palace who was fired after the blunder
In an email to the Conservative pundit’s team, he claimed the royals were “willing to fire staff to hide the truth”
In an email to the former Fox News host’s team, Manners introduced himself as ‘George’ and explained that he was behind the controversial photograph.
‘I helped create the image at Wales’ request. As the photo was found to be edited, I am now being made a scapegoat and am in the process of being released,’ he wrote.
“Normally I would be discreet about these matters, but I am all too aware of the Royal Family’s ability to throw people like me under the bus to protect their reputation.
‘They are not telling the truth about the princess’s health and are now willing to fire staff to hide the truth.’
In a subsequent phone call with one of Carlson’s staff, Manners repeated the lie that he used to work for Kensington Palace and was asked to edit the photo, which was later retracted by several news agencies, leading to him losing his job.
The employee asked if Manners would be able to provide proof of employment as well as the non-doctored photograph.
After the call, Manners called co-star Josh Pieters and instructed him to create a fake engagement letter and ‘make it silly’ in addition to editing the already edited Mother’s Day photo.
Pieters drew up a realistic-looking employment contract, complete with a fake Kensington Palace badge.
The letter included a clause that the palace had the right to amputate a limb of its choice if the employee failed the probationary period.
To create the ‘original’ photograph, Pieters added a Christmas tree in the window and a rugby ball on the ground, as well as removing Middleton’s left hand in a doctored version of the ‘original photo’.
Manners forwarded the materials to Carlson’s team before they sat down for an interview in a Westminster television studio.
Pieters edited a Christmas tree into the photograph, which Manners claimed was taken by Middleton’s uncle, Gary Goldsmith, around the holiday season
Manners claimed he had to edit the Christmas tree for the final Mother’s Day release
During the interview, Carlson asked what Manners did for Kate Middleton.
‘Just before the coronation I was asked to help with some of their video. I was then hired in mid-May as their digital content producer,’ Manners said, adding that he was in the role until the previous morning.
‘I was asked to edit a photograph, a now quite famous photograph, of the three Cambridge children and the Duchess, which was released to celebrate Mother’s Day.
‘I was fired for negligence because the edit I made was found. The reason the editing was sloppy is because the editing job was almost too big to do.’
He then claimed the photo was not taken a week before but was actually taken by ‘Kate’s uncle’ Gary Goldsmith around Christmas, meaning he had to edit the Christmas tree.
“It’s a great story,” Carlson replied. ‘You did this with their knowledge, you say. You edited the Christmas tree and removed a hand with their knowledge?’
Manners nodded affirmatively.
Pieters drew up a fake contract with a clause giving the palace the right to amputate limbs if an employee failed the probationary period
“We’ve done our best to verify that your identity is what you say it is,” Carlson said during the exchange
As the interview ended, Carlson praised the exchange as ‘fantastic’ and ‘really interesting.’
His staff later informed Manners that they would premiere the episode “early next week” on Carlson’s eponymous streaming service.
However, it is unclear whether it will still be shown in light of the recent revelations.
Speaking to Deadline on Friday, Manners said he and Pieters decided to speak up because they didn’t want misinformation to be broadcast to Carlson’s 12.6 million social media followers.
“We didn’t want to have more rumors that aren’t true going out to lots and lots of people,” Manners explained. ‘We just didn’t want to be too dignified for that in our video.’
Manners and Pieters have just under 1.5 million subscribers on YouTube. Previous capers include tricking Spider-Man star Tom Holland during an interview and giving columnist Katie Hopkins a fake award.
The Prince and Princess of Wales ‘want to be clear and more open’ about Kate’s health but will only share with the public ‘when they feel ready’, a friend has claimed. Kate is pictured at the Christmas Day morning service in Sandringham last year, which was the last time she was seen in public before her operation
William and Kate were spotted leaving Windsor for Westminster Abbey to attend the Commonwealth Day Service last Monday following the controversy over her Mother’s Day photo
Kate has not made an official public appearance since undergoing major stomach surgery on January 16, leading to a growing tsunami of speculation over her unknown state of health. She is not expected to return to official duties until after Easter.
The rumors only intensified when the princess publicly took the blame for the family photo released by Kensington Palace on Mother’s Day, which was ‘killed’ by six of the world’s top image agencies over concerns it had been ‘manipulated’.
A source close to Kate and Prince William says the couple will reveal more information about her recovery over time, according to Sunday Timeswho reports that her return is expected after April 17.
The friend claimed that Kate is ‘not a show pony’ and that it is ‘absolutely right’ that the couple do not want to be ‘dragged into a game about what is going on with her health.’
“In Kate’s case, there is almost no one else in the world whose face, body and clothes are more judged than hers,” the insider told The Sunday Times.
“What’s happening is exactly what they said would happen – she’d spend two weeks in hospital and be back after Easter. So what if they haven’t pushed her out there to wave from the back of a car? She’s not a show pony.’
A friend said the Welsh are fully aware of the rumors circulating, but claimed: ‘They’re not like (Prince) Harry obsessing and scrolling through Twitter, but they know it’s broken through. They follow the news and watch the BBC’s breaking news alerts.’