The PRIVATE Pcess

As conspiracy theories continue to mount about Kate Middleton, sources tell Us why the royal is so fiercely on guard

- JAIME HARKIN

It seemed innocent enough: On March 10, Princess Kate shared a family photo on Instagram showing her seated in a chair, surrounded by her three smiling children - Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5. The caption wished her fellow U.K. moms a happy Mother's Day and thanked the public for their well-wishes following her recent abdominal surgery.

It was the first official photo of the princess to be released since her Jan. 16 procedure, and it appeared intended to reassure royal-watchers — who’d noted the future queen’s prolonged absence from public life, as well as a lack of communication from Kensington Palace about her health — that she was, in fact, on the mend.

But within hours, social media was in a frenzy over the image. Some skeptics questioned when the photo was taken, while others said it appeared to be digitally altered. Major news agencies swiftly recalled the photo, saying it had been “manipulated.” With that, conspiracy theories about Kate’s wellness and whereabouts reached a fever pitch online.

The following day, Kate addressed the photo controversy on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing,” and adding, in part, “I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion.” Later that afternoon, she was photographed in the back seat of a car with Prince William, reportedly on her way to an appointment. William, 41, headed to Westminster Abbey for the annual Commonwealth Day service without her.