The Princess of Wales is now among a growing list of high-profile women targeted by an AI tool on X, after the platform’s chatbot, Grok, was found to be generating altered images that digitally remove clothing from real photos—without consent.
The images, reportedly created by reworking publicly available photographs, depict Catherine in minimal clothing, sparking widespread anger and alarm. She is believed to be one of thousands of women—and even children—whose images have been manipulated by the tool, with some reportedly placed into highly inappropriate or sexualised scenarios.
UK watchdog steps in as pressure mounts on Elon Musk’s X
The controversy has escalated to the highest levels, with Ofcom—the UK’s communications regulator—confirming it has made “urgent contact” with X and its AI division, xAI, to assess whether the platform is complying with online safety laws.
An Ofcom spokesperson said protecting users—particularly children—from illegal online harm remains an “urgent priority,” adding that regulators are now seeking clarity on what safeguards X has in place. A rapid assessment will follow to determine whether a formal investigation is warranted.
Kensington Palace has declined to comment on the situation.
X issues warning as backlash intensifies
As outrage spread online, X issued a warning telling users not to use Grok to generate illegal content. Elon Musk also weighed in, cautioning that anyone who prompts the AI to produce unlawful material would face the same consequences as if they had uploaded it themselves.
Despite this, critics argue the damage has already been done. Grok’s own acceptable-use policy explicitly bans the creation of pornographic or sexualised images using a person’s likeness—raising questions about how such content was generated in the first place.
Public reaction: “So disgusting”
Reaction online has been swift and furious. One user wrote, “So disgusting. Poor Catherine has endured decades of different forms of violation.” Another added, “This is horrifying for any woman or child.” A third warned, “AI has gone too far—it’s becoming terrifyingly realistic.”
A painful reminder of past invasions
For many royal watchers, the scandal has reopened old wounds. In 2012, Catherine was the victim of a major privacy breach when long-lens photographs of her sunbathing topless on private property in France were published without her consent. The Prince and Princess of Wales later won their legal case and were awarded €100,000 in damages.
More recently, the couple also secured a legal victory against Paris Match after private images of a family ski holiday—including photos of their children—were published.
As the AI scandal continues to unfold, calls are growing louder for tighter controls, tougher enforcement, and urgent action—before the technology spirals even further out of control.
