Skip to main contentSkip to footer
Why the Princess of Wales issued an apology amid her recovery© Getty Images

Why the Princess of Wales issued an apology amid her recovery

The Mother’s Day picture sparked a frenzy on social media


MARCH 11, 2024 11:05 AM EDT

The  Princess of Wales  has cleared up “confusion” over the Mother’s Day photo featuring her, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis .

A kill notice was issued for the picture on Sunday. AP explained that the image had been retracted “because at closer inspection, it appeared that the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet AP’s photo standards.”

On Monday, the Princess of Wales released a statement, revealing that she occasionally experiments with editing. Her Royal Highness said, “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. C.”

View post on X

The image was released to celebrate Mother’s Day in the UK on March 10. The photo, taken by Prince William in Windsor, showed Catherine sitting down in a chair, while surrounded by her three children. Social media users pointed out inconsistencies in the picture, including the left sleeve of Princess Charlotte’s cardigan, which appeared to fade into the background.

A personal message from Catherine accompanied the Mother’s Day picture, expressing her gratitude for the “kind wishes and continued support over the last two months.” “Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day,” Her Royal Highness added, signing the message off with a “C.”

The Mother’s Day picture marked the first official photo of the Princess of Wales since her abdominal surgery. Following her surgery in mid-January, Kensington Palace said “based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.”