Kate Middleton apologised on Monday morning, the 11th of March, for the “edited” picture of Kate and her three children that the Royal Family published on Sunday. The edited image, which had been removed from circulation by the world’s leading media agencies over concerns that it has been manipulated, had caused a stir amid continuing speculation about the health of the Princess of Wales following surgery earlier this year, reports Politico.
“Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the past two months,” Kate wrote on social media alongside the picture, wishing everyone a happy Mother’s Day.
Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months.
Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day. C
? The Prince of Wales, 2024 pic.twitter.com/6DywGBpLLQ
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 10, 2024
But on Monday, she admitted that the photo had been edited and apologised for the misunderstanding.
“Like many amateur photographers, I sometimes experiment with editing,” Kate posted on social media. “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.”
Kensington Palace in late February sought to dispel rumours surrounding Kate’s prolonged absence from public eye, which fuelled conspiracy theories about her whereabouts. The Palace confirmed that Kate was doing well, but stressed that it would only provide important updates on her recovery.
However, the release of the first official photograph of the Princess since her surgery on Sunday
sparked further speculation, with experts pointing to the image being edited.
Late on Sunday evening, major news agencies including the Associated Press (AP), Reuters, Getty Images and Agence France-Presse (AFP) withdrew the Princess’ photograph, citing apparent photo “manipulation”.
This decision was made after a thorough examination which revealed inconsistencies, such as the alignment of Princess Charlotte’s left arm and the sleeve of her jumper.
Tom Tugendhat, the UK’s security minister, on Monday has said to Times Radio that families often “slightly” improve pictures of their family, stressing that it was important to maintain honesty and accuracy in public images.
Also read: VIDEO | Oscar-winning Ukrainian director would trade his prize for peace in Ukraine