The Princess of Wales is reportedly "very sad" following the controversy surrounding her edited Mother's Day photograph, according to royal insiders. The image, which featured Kate and her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, was released on Sunday to celebrate the special day. However, critics quickly pointed out that the picture had been doctored, leading to speculation about why the editing was done and why Kate wasn't wearing her wedding ring in the photo.
Sources close to the royal family have revealed that the mum-of-three altered the image three times on a computer before its release. In response to the backlash, Kate took to Twitter to apologize for the "confusion" caused by the edited photograph, writing, "Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C."
Despite the apology, concerns about Kate's health and whereabouts have persisted, as she has not attended any public-facing events since December 2023 while recovering from an abdominal surgery she underwent in January. A palace insider told the Telegraph Monday that the Princess of Wales feels "awful" about doctoring the family portrait and just wanted to make it the "best it could be." The insider added that Middleton wanted to be transparent about her mistake, as she believes honesty is the "best policy."
Royal Family writer Ingrid Seward commented on the situation, saying, "It is ridiculous and deeply unfair when she is trying to recover from major surgery. She has been posing for pictures all her royal life so just give her a break." Author Phil Dampier also weighed in, noting the irony that the first time Prince William has taken a picture that they have released publicly, this controversy has arisen.
Kensington Palace has refused to release the original, unedited photo and has not provided an explanation for which parts were altered or why. In a statement on Monday, the Palace said, "The Wales family spent Mother's Day together and had a wonderful day."
A friend of Middleton told the Mirror that the princess would be "upset" by the conspiracy theories that followed what was supposed to be an "innocent family photograph." Some experts even believed that the family photo was either AI-generated or manipulated using Middleton's 2016 Vogue cover.
Several photo agencies, including Reuters, Getty Images, and the Associated Press, issued a "kill notice" Sunday after suspecting that the image had been tampered with. The edits caused an outpouring of worries for Middleton, with some people spreading conspiracy theories that her health was in poor condition, while others were convinced she had plastic surgery.
A rep for Middleton recently assured Page Six that she was "doing well" and never expected to be seen in public until after Easter. While Middleton has yet to make her public debut at an official event, she has been spotted twice riding in a car near Windsor Castle since her recovery began.
On Monday, after apologizing for the photo snafu, Middleton was again seen cruising in a car, this time with Prince William in the seat beside her. The Prince of Wales was en route to attend the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, while his wife was on her way to a private appointment.
As the controversy surrounding the edited Mother's Day photo continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the royal family will address the ongoing concerns about Kate Middleton's health and whereabouts. The incident has highlighted the intense scrutiny faced by the Princess of Wales and the challenges of balancing public expectations with personal privacy.
