Kate, the Princess of Wales, issued an apology on Monday morning after posting a family photo which was pulled by major news organizations for photoshop manipulation — stoking the fire of rumors regarding her temporary disappearance from public light.
On Sunday, Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom, Kate posted a photograph surrounded by her three children (Prince George, 10; Princess Charlotte, 8; and Prince Louis, 5) to the Prince and Princess of Wales’ Instagram account. The photo was allegedly taken by Prince William, per People. Hours later, The Associated Press advised reporters not to share the photo because “the source has manipulated the image.”
In light of editing claims, Kate issued an apology: “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.”
The public took the photoshop news and ran with it, pointing out dozens of irregularities in the photo: Kate’s hair and hand are blurry, Princess Charlotte’s skirt appears misshapen, the window panes in the background are uneven and the background trees match typical fall foliage, not winter — suggesting the photo was taken during fall 2023.
Princess Kate’s apology and claims of photo manipulation come two months after Kensington Palace announced that she underwent “planned abdominal surgery” and would remain in convalesce and absent from public events until Easter (March 31). Kate’s continued absence has fueled wild rumors from the public that the princess has a secret baby, that she’s connected to the disastrous Willy Wonka event in Glasgow or that she’s the artist Banksy.
As conspiracy theories regarding Kate’s condition ran amok, Kensington Palace issued a statement assuring the public that there are no “significant updates” regarding the princess’s health.
“Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess’s recovery and we’d only be providing significant updates. That guidance stands,” a royal spokesperson told Vanity Fair last week.
When Kensington Palace announced in January that Kate was recovering from an undisclosed operation, it noted that updates on the princess’s health would only be provided if there was “significant new information to share.”
The statement emphasized Kate’s desire to keep the details regarding her health private: “The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate. She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private.”
The palace has remained firm in its original statement. No formal updates or further details regarding Kate’s health have been provided.
Last week, Kate was photographed being driven by her mother, Carole Middleton, near Windsor Castle, as reported by ABC News. It marked the first time the princess has been seen in public since Christmas Day.
Royal family photo fuels theories about Kate’s ongoing absence
Members of the public have pointed out several areas where the royal family photo was heavily edited — fueling theories about Kate’s ongoing absence from the public eye.