The first official photograph of Princess Kate, following her abdominal surgery approximately two months ago, was released on Britain’s Mother’s Day.
In the picture, she is seen smiling alongside her husband, Prince William, and their three children: 10-year-old George, 8-year-old Charlotte, and 5-year-old Louis.
According to report, the image was credited to Prince William and shared on the royal couple’s official social media accounts.
However, major news photo agencies, including The Associated Press, Reuters, and AFP, later withdrew the photo from distribution due to apparent alterations not meeting their standards.
The inconsistencies noted included alignment issues with Princess Charlotte’s hand and apparent edits around the children’s hair and hands.
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Online commentators pointed out various anomalies in the image, such as blurring around Charlotte’s sleeve.
Despite requests for clarification from Kensington Palace, there was no immediate response addressing the speculations about photo alterations.
Princess Kate’s message accompanying the photo marked her first public communication since her surgery, expressing gratitude for well-wishes and wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day.
The speculation surrounding the photo alterations coincided with ongoing questions about Kate’s health following her hospitalization for planned abdominal surgery in January.
The palace did not disclose the specifics of Kate’s surgery but emphasized that it was unrelated to cancer.
Despite ongoing speculation about her health, a spokesperson for Kensington Palace confirmed last month that she was “doing well” and reiterated the palace’s commitment to providing significant updates as necessary.