Friends say the couple view the sham picture as a deliberate attempt to thwart their efforts to keep Suri out of the spotlight in order to protect her. The picture — which appears to show Katie, 27, cradling Suri — is alleged to have been taken outside the couple's multimillion dollar estate in Telluride, Colorado.

Rumors have spread across the internet about why the doting parents have remained so secretive about their daughter.

Some suggest that the decision to keep Suri away from the limelight is down to Tom's Scientology beliefs, while others even suggested the baby doesn't exist at all.

Last week, 'King of Queens' actress Leah Remini.revealed she saw Suri several weeks ago and insists she is healthy and beautiful.

She told Us Weekly magazine: "She's a newborn and normal size. Tom and Katie want to have a life and raise their baby. They're normal parents."

Remini also rubbished reports that Katie was suffering from the baby blues, and revealed that both she and Suri looked radiant.

She said: "Suri's a beaming baby. She looks like Tom and Katie. She's just beautiful.

"Tom is one of those doting dads and Katie looks beautiful - I'm jealous of her. She bounced right back."