Does anyone care???

Kate Middleton says sorry for ‘editing’ Mother’s Day photo that caused furor

Princess of Wales underwent abdominal surgery in January and has since remained out of the public eye.

BY CLAUDIA CHIAPPA

Get the tinfoil hats out!

Kate Middleton apologized Monday morning for “editing” a picture the Royal Family posted on Sunday. The manipulated image had sparked an online frenzy amid ongoing speculation about the Princess of Wales’ health.

The photo, featuring Kate and her three children, was pulled offline by the world’s top media agencies amid concerns it was manipulated.

Kensington Palace posted the portrait, of the Princess of Wales embracing her three smiling children, to celebrate the U.K.’s Mother’s Day on Sunday, as concerns grow about Kate’s health following abdominal surgery earlier this year.

“Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months,” Kate wrote on social media to accompany the picture. “Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day. C”

But Kensington Palace on Monday admitted to editing the photo, apologizing for “any confusion.”

“Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing,” Kate said 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. C”

Kate’s prolonged absence from the public eye has fueled conspiracy theories about her whereabouts. Kensington Palace attempted to quash rumors in late February, telling news organizations that Kate continued to do “well,” while reiterating that only “significant updates” would be provided on her recovery.

But Sunday’s picture — the first official photo of the princess since she underwent surgery — sparked more fevered online speculation, with digital sleuths pointing out editing issues with the snap.

Late Sunday, the Associated Press (AP), Reuters, Getty Images and Agence France-Presse (AFP) withdrew the photo as it “appeared to have been manipulated.”

“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,” AP wrote.

The AFP issued a “mandatory kill notice,” saying that the image could not be used as it had been “altered,” while Reuters said it had deleted the image “following a post-publication review.”

U.K. Security Minister Tom Tugendhat told Times Radio on Monday that it’s not unusual for families to “slightly” improve pictures of themselves and their children. But “it is important that we record what we put out is honest and that we record situations accurately,” he added.