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Kate Middleton’s prolonged absence from her public life since announcing her abdominal surgery nearly two months ago continued to fuel more conspiracy theories online. The relentless rumors were augmented after multiple news agencies abruptly pulled the first photo of Kate Middleton after she underwent surgery over suspicions of alleged manipulation.
To seemingly quell the relentless speculations about her whereabouts, on Sunday, March 10, 2024, Kensington Palace issued the first photo of the Princess of Wales since her abdominal surgery. The picture was subsequently published by multiple credible news websites.
However, shortly after, the photo was removed by The Associated Press and other news agencies as netizens alleged it appeared to be manipulated.
The allegations compounded by the Associated Press, later issuing a statement saying:
“It appeared the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet AP’s photo standards."
This fueled more conjecture online. While AP cited inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte’s left hand, several eagle-eyed netizens indicated other inconsistencies in the picture, including the jumper worn by Kate’s youngest son.
Kate Middleton alleged manipulated image draws crticism online
The post surgery photo of Kate Middleton in a chair surrounded by her three children was credited to her husband, William, which was allegedly taken earlier in the week in Windsor. The caption provided by Kate read:
“Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day.”
However, the picture has since drawn criticism for heavy photoshopping, fuelling more conspiracy theories online.
The widespread conjecture about Kate's wherabouts began after William didn't go to a memorial for his godfather King Constantine II of Greece at St. George's Chapel last month in Windsor, citing a "personal matter."
This led to widespread speculation something was amiss in the royal family, given that both Kate Middleton and King Charles were out of commission for a while. King Charles announced in January he was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer.
Shortly after, speculation about what was wrong with Kate began to run amok, with rumours about "abdominal surgery" being a cover for cosmetic work and a bad haircut going viral online.
As the rumors continued to gain steam, Kate was photographed for the first time since her surgery sitting in the car alongside mum Carole Middleton snapped on March 4.
The picture only added to the online hysteria, with some people alleging it was actually Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton, in the car.
The palace has repeatedly denied the swirling rumors online and has steadfastly maintained Kate is well and recovering from her surgery. It is important to note this is not the first time the Royals have been accused of heavily altering their pictures.
In December 2023, a Christmas card with Kate, William and their three children triggered a wave of backlash over glaring Photoshop errors.
