Kate Middleton has apologized for "any confusion" caused by her Mother's Day photo, which was shared by Kensington Palace on March 11. The photo, which quickly went viral, shows the Princess of Wales posing with her three children, accompanied by Kensington Palace. Caption, "Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the past two months."
It wasn't long before eagle-eyed social media users noticed some inconsistencies, suggesting it had been digitally altered.
The photo was later removed by AP. "Upon closer inspection, the source appears to have doctored the image," the AP said in a statement. "A replacement photo will not be sent."
Shortly after, the Princess of Wales issued a statement addressing the issue: "Like many amateur photographers, I occasionally experiment with editing," she wrote. "I want to apologize for any confusion caused by the family photos we shared yesterday. I hope everyone celebrating had a happy Mother's Day. C." (The "C" means she wrote it.)
If a picture is worth a thousand words…
The royal photo may have been an attempt to quell doubts about Middleton's health.
In January 2024, Buckingham Palace announced that she had undergone abdominal surgery and would not return to public duties "until after Easter." Regardless, her absence sparked speculation and intrigue.
On February 29, a spokesperson for the Princess of Wales responded to the rumors, stating that Middleton was "doing well." The statement continued: "We have been very clear from the outset that the Princess of Wales will not be traveling until after Easter and Kensington Palace will only provide updates if there is a major incident."
The Mother's Day photo isn't her first post-surgery photo. On March 5, TMZ published an unofficial paparazzi photo of Middleton, the first time she'd been photographed since Christmas.
