Kate Middleton's Excuse For Fake Photo Controversy Is So Bizarre

On March 10, Catherine, Princess of Wales, made her royal comeback ... or did she? Kate, whose absence from the public eye since undergoing abdominal surgery in January has spurred a number of disturbing theories including a rumor that she was in a coma, was finally spotted in a new pic on the Prince and Princess of Wales' official Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) accounts. The picture, posted in honor of the U.K.'s celebration of Mother's Day, was taken by William, Prince of Wales, and features a beaming Kate surrounded by her children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. 

Sadly, the princess' triumphant return to the public eye didn't last long with royal watchers insisting that Kate's first official photo since her surgery was fake. "No comment from Kensington Palace tonight after at least 3 international pictures agencies refuse to distribute this morning's photo of Kate and her children. Some of them (@AP ) have claimed 'the source [the palace] has manipulated the image,'" ITV News Royal Correspondent Chris Ship fired out in a now-viral tweet. While the Associated Press had initially shared the photo, they later retracted it after concluding that the image had indeed been doctored, citing that the source had seemingly "manipulated the image in a way that did not meet AP's photo standards."

Things got even more strange when the princess issued an official albeit bizarre excuse for the fake photo snafu. "Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing," she tweeted. "I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused."

The Princess of Wales' contrite message regarding her tendency to "experiment with editing" family photos has only heightened the speculation and wild conspiracy theories surrounding her absence from royal duties following the mysterious abdominal surgery. An insider speaking to People, however, was adamant that Kate only made "minor adjustments" to the photo. The Associated Press made similar claims in their decision to pull the image, stating that "close study of the image revealed inconsistencies that suggested it had been altered, for instance in the alignment of Princess Charlotte's left hand with the sleeve of her sweater." 

While such minor edits do not suggest that the photo was fabricated, many claim that this seemingly innocent photo blunder will cause severe repercussions for the royal family. "This photograph is meant to reassure us that the Princess of Wales is well. If it is manipulated, it does pose a question," royal expert Hugo Vickers told GB News. "It's a pity. We have lost confidence in the photo. It is meant to reassure us, but there have been doubts raised, and we are all worried about it," he added. 

Royal watchers can rest assured, though, that Kate had a lovely Mother's Day which seems to bode well for her ongoing recovery. As a source told People, the royal couple's only goal with the photo was "to offer an informal picture of the family together for Mother's Day." As for how they spent the holiday? "The family spent Mother's Day together and had a wonderful day."