Buckingham Palace said the photo was taken by Kate’s husband Prince William earlier this week (file photo)
London:
AFP and other news organizations on Sunday pulled the first official photo of a British princess kate middleton She was released after abdominal surgery, saying the image was found to have been doctored.
The 42-year-old princess, whose husband Prince William is heir to the British throne, has been recovering primarily at her home in Windsor, west London, since being discharged from hospital on January 29.
Photos released by Kensington Palace to celebrate Mother’s Day in the UK show smiles princess of wales Sitting on a garden chair, wearing jeans, a sweater and a dark jacket, surrounded by her three laughing children, George, Charlotte and Louis.
“Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the past two months,” read a message accompanying the photo on social media platform X.
“Happy Mother’s Day to everyone,” read the message, which was signed “C” for Catherine.
Thank you for your well wishes and continued support over the past two months.
Happy Mother’s Day to everyone. C
📸 Prince of Wales, 2024 pic.twitter.com/6DywGBpLLQ
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 10, 2024
Buckingham Palace said in a statement that the photo was taken by Kate’s husband, Prince William, “in Windsor earlier this week.”
However, several news organizations, including AFP, later pulled the image over concerns it had been manipulated.
“It is understood that the handout issued by Kensington Palace to Kate and the children today has been altered and has therefore been withdrawn from the AFP system,” the agency said in a note to accompanying clients.
The family photo is the first official photo released by the royal family since Kate was hospitalized for abdominal surgery at a London clinic on January 16.
The future queen was last photographed in public on Christmas Day while walking in Sandringham, east England.
Photos published by TMZ in early March showed Kate wearing sunglasses while driving, and the celebrity news site said the photos were taken near Windsor Castle.
British media such as the Daily Mail and The Sun chose not to publish the photos.
The sighting comes after a series of conspiracy theories emerged on social media about the hard-working and dedicated princess staying away from the spotlight.
The speculation comes despite Kensington Palace making it clear at the time of her surgery that she was “not likely to return to public duties until after Easter”.
It also said the surgery was not related to cancer.
News of Kate’s hospitalization comes around the same time that William’s father, King Charles, was admitted to hospital for surgery for a benign prostate condition and was subsequently diagnosed with an unrelated cancer.
Charles, 75, visited his daughter-in-law at her bedside after being admitted to hospital on January 26.
The king has withdrawn from public duties during his treatment, but he attends church services and meets with the prime minister weekly.
Camilla steps in
Charles’s 76-year-old wife, Queen Camilla, is the most high-profile senior royal and has taken on many public duties while her husband is undergoing treatment.
She is now off until March 11, when she is expected to join William and other senior royals at the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.
She is reportedly on vacation this week, which effectively means all four most senior royals are out of action.
The princess is one of the most popular members of the royal family.
She and William have taken on more royal duties since brother Prince Harry and wife Meghan traveled to the United States in 2020, while the king’s brother Prince Andrew was criticized for his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein And exit.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
