Fake Kate! Royal critics convinced new Kate Middleton pic is doctored

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A tempest in a teapot is brewing at Kensington Palace.

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A family photo of Kate Middleton posted Sunday has been yanked by multiple news agencies over fears it was manipulated by Kensington Palace.

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The Princess of Wales shared a message of thanks with royal watchers as she posted a photo with her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, for Mother’s Day, which fell on Sunday in the U.K.

In the photo, which was shared on Instagram and X, Middleton was seen smiling alongside her kids and she also extended her hearty well wishes to other mothers celebrating their special day.

“Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day,” Kate wrote, signing off her message with the initial “C” for Catherine.

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But online sleuths immediately started to dissect the snap, which was credited to Prince William. For one, Kate, 42, wasn’t wearing her wedding ring or any other jewelry.

“PR STUNT GONE wrong again,” one person commented. “No wedding ring, weather is suddenly bright in London with green grass and green leaves even though London don’t look like that right now 😂😂😂😭 A MESSS do they think people in this generation are that dumb.”

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“That photo of Kate Middleton is so clearly AI,” another person speculated, with another follower describing the drama as “chilling.”

“Whether it’s AI, bad Photoshop or something else, I pray that she’s OK and on the road to recovery,” they wrote.

“That looks like an AI photo … not one for the theories either but come on, that’s not a real photo … Idk (I don’t know) doesn’t seem real,” another person wrote on Instagram.

When Kensington Palace was asked why Kate didn’t have the ring on, they offered no comment, per Town and Country Magazine.

By the end of the day, four major news wire services — Associated Press, Getty Images, Reuters, and AFP — had announced they were pulling the photo from their libraries amid concerns it was manipulated.

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AP retracted the photo “because at closer inspection, it appeared the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet AP’s photo standards.”

“The photo shows an inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte’s left hand,” the agency added.

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Chris Ship, ITV News’ royal editor, said Kensington Palace would face “serious questions” in the wake of the news that the pic had been doctored.

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When released early Sunday, the image was purported to be the first released official photo of Kate released since she underwent abdominal surgery in January.

Earlier this year, Kensington Palace announced that the princess completed a “successful” operation and that she would not resume her official duties before April.

“The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate,” the palace said. “She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private.”

“Catherine is recovering well,” a source added to the Daily Mail after the procedure. “She was looking forward to a change of scene and will be able to take it easy in Norfolk while the children let off steam with William.”

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During her absence, the public obsessed over her disappearance from the royal limelight. When TMZ shared a paparazzi photo of Kate last week with her mother, Carole Middleton, some conspiracy theorists suggested it wasn’t really her and was an imposter.

But after her hospitalization, “Where is Kate?” became an oft-asked question on social media.

As rumours swirled about her whereabouts, a spokesperson for the future queen issued a statement to multiple media outlets, including Vanity Fair, in late February to try and dampen unfounded speculation about her health. “We were very clear from the outset that the Princess of Wales was out until after Easter and Kensington Palace would only be providing updates when something was significant,” the message read in part.

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Sources close to the Princess of Wales also told the magazine that she, “has not ruled out one day speaking about what she has been through, but for now, her focus is on getting better and getting back to work when she is ready.”

Kate’s condition was followed by Buckingham Palace’s announcement that King Charles III was diagnosed with cancer in February.

But one palace insider described the quiet over Kate’s condition as complete “radio silence” last week in a story published by PEOPLE.

The palace also faced calls for more transparency, as details about Charles’ and Kate’s conditions were shrouded in secrecy.

“Everybody feels unsettled by uncertainty, and there is too much uncertainty that is surrounding the monarchy right now,” royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told PEOPLE. “Queen Elizabeth used to say, ‘I need to be seen to be believed.’ It is important for Charles and his reign for the public to know a little bit more.”

But in a bid to return to normalcy, Prince William resumed his public duties. “His focus is on his work and not on social media,” a rep said.

As of Sunday night, the photo remained on Kate and William’s official Instagram and X pages, where it continued to generate thousands of comments.

“It’s not real,” one person worriedly wrote. “Something is going on.”

mdaniell@postmedia.com

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