Princess Catherine says she manipulated family photo that sparked speculation

Catherine, Britain's Princess of Wales, issued an apology on social media on Monday for "any confusion" caused by an edited photograph which was issued by her office Kensington Palace on Sunday.

"Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing," said a tweet on the official X account of Catherine and William, Prince of Wales, signed with a C. "I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused."

The Associated Press and other news agencies had retracted the photo of Catherine and children George, Charlotte and Louis, which was issued to mark Mother's Day in Britain.

It was the first official photo of Catherine since her abdominal surgery nearly two months ago, and followed weeks of speculation about her whereabouts. Designed to quell speculation, it has sparked even more conjecture.

The palace said the photo of Catherine in a chair surrounded by her three children was taken earlier in the week in Windsor.

"Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months," Catherine said on social media. "Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day."

The Associated Press initially published the photo, which was issued by Kensington Palace. While there was no suggestion the photo was fake, AP retracted it because closer inspection revealed the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet AP's photo standards. For instance, the photo shows an inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte's left hand.

The release of the photo followed weeks of gossip on social media about what had happened to Catherine since she left a hospital Jan. 29 after a nearly two-week stay following planned surgery. She hadn't been seen publicly since Christmas Day.

The royal family has been under more scrutiny than usual in recent weeks, because both Catherine and King Charles III can't carry out their usual public duties due to health issues.

Royal officials say Charles is undergoing treatment for an unspecified form of cancer, which was discovered during treatment for an enlarged prostate. The monarch has cancelled all his public engagements while he receives treatment, though he has been photographed walking to church and meeting privately with government officials and dignitaries.

Catherine, 42, underwent surgery Jan. 16 and her condition and the reason for the surgery have not been revealed, though Kensington Palace said it was not cancer-related.

Although the palace initially said that it would only provide significant updates and that she would not return to royal duties before Easter — March 31 this year — it followed up with a statement last month amid the rumours and conspiracy theories by saying she was doing well and reiterating its previous statement.

"Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess' recovery and we'd only be providing significant updates," the palace said Feb. 29. "That guidance stands."

At the time, royal aides told The Sun newspaper: "We've seen the madness of social media and that is not going to change our strategy. There has been much on social media but the Princess has a right to privacy and asks the public to respect that."