The Princess of Wales has apologised for any confusion caused by editing a Mother's Day photograph of herself and her children. The image, taken by the Prince of Wales, was the first official photo of Catherine since her abdominal surgery in January.
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Catherine 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.' The post was signed off with 'C', indicating personal responsibility.
Five photo agencies—PA, Getty Images, AFP, Associated Press (AP), and Reuters—retracted the image over editing concerns. AP noted an 'inconsistency in alignment of Princess Charlotte's left hand'. Kensington Palace said it would not reissue the original unedited photograph.
The photo was intended as an amateur family snapshot for Mother's Day, but its release came amid public curiosity about Catherine's recovery. Royal sources described the edits as 'minor adjustments' made by the princess herself. The image was widely used by UK media, including BBC News, before the retractions.
The Princess of Wales was seen on Monday being driven out of Windsor with Prince William, as he attended the Commonwealth Day service without her. The incident has raised questions about the use of independently produced images by media outlets.
