Photo of Princess Kate with her children appears to be manipulated, news agency says

Shortly after Kensington Palace released a photo of Kate Middleton and her three children in honor of Mother’s Day, the Associated Press said the photo appeared to have been manipulated.

In a statement shared with Sky News on Sunday, the Associated Press said the photo shows an “inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte’s left hand.” It’s rare that the AP issues a “kill” notification, but did so for the photo that was reportedly taken by Prince William.

“The Associated Press initially published the photo, which was issued by Kensington Palace. The AP later retracted the image because at closer inspection, it appears that 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.”

Questions about the photo have fueled theories about the health of the princess, who had abdominal surgery two months ago. The Royal Family did not immediately comment on the decision by the AP and other agencies to issue the kill notice.

“Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months,” said a message that accompanied the photo. “Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day.”