The Sussexes’ Christmas photo is the subject of conspiracy theories, some of them very absurd.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s Christmas card has their followers fascinated, as the photo shows their children Archie and Lilibet, but like everything the Sussexes do, it has caused a huge stir on social media with conspiracy theories.

In one of the six images, the children are shown from behind as they excitedly run towards their parents. This is the first time Archie and Lilibet have been seen in years, and now excitement has spilled over into wild and unfounded claims about the snapshots, the British media outlet The Mirror reported.

Many were quick to notice how grown up the couple look in the picture, which also includes the family’s three dogs.

Meghan can be seen smiling at five-year-old Archie, while Harry bends down to greet three-year-old redhead Lilibet.

Conspiracy theories of the doctored photo

However, unfounded speculation about the image has already begun to proliferate online after the family holiday card was shared.

Some theories claim to have found several ways in which the image could have been manipulated and question the representation of the children.

The photo in question was oe of six chosen for the Sussexes’ 2024 Christmas card.

“The only one in focus is Meghan. Fake photo,” wrote one person on X, while a second said: “Archie doesn’t seem to have grown in over a year, and the daughter seems to be his height now.”

A third person wrote: “How is Lily as tall as Archie? Where is the hair that Lily can almost sit on?” apparently referring to an earlier comment made by Meghan about her daughter’s hair length.

Another X user made strange claims about a “digitally altered outline” around Meghan and even suggested that the dogs were “superimposed” at a later date. “The grass and leaves look fake. The dogs don’t recognise the children at all or engage. Mine would be in their faces,” they claimed.

Since then, the editing claims have been firmly debunked by Photoshop experts, with one telling the Mail Online that the photo appears genuine.

The image appears to have been taken on the grounds of the Sussexes’ home in Montecito, California, and is the first “official” photograph of the children since their royal portraits were released, each a year after their birth.

Archie and Lilibet were last seen when they made a brief appearance in the couple’s documentary series Harry & Meghan, which aired on Netflix in December 2022.