Kate Middleton Apologizes ‘For Any Confusion’ After Her Mother’s Day Card Photoshop Fail After It Goes Viral

Kate Middleton has been out of the public eye ever since her “planned abdominal surgery” was announced by Kensington Palace in mid-January. Though updates from the royal family have assured fans that Kate is recovering well, most are still extremely concerned as her extended absence from the spotlight continues.

Which is why no one was expecting a pretty badly edited Mother’s Day card from her, or the subsequent apology that she issued after being called out by fans. Keep reading to see the photoshop mishaps and hear what the Princess of Wales’ response was.

Though Americans associate Mother’s Day with the spring flowers of May, the holiday is celebrated in March in the UK, which explains Kate Middleton’s Instagram post. Kate posted a photo of herself smiling, surrounded by her three children, George 10, Charlotte, 8, and Louis, 5. It looks like a wholesome picture at first glance, especially with Kate’s sweet caption: “Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day. C.”

But upon closer inspection, the photo has clearly been doctored. For instance, a portion of Charlotte’s sleeve appears to be missing, and her hair seems to have an artificial pattern. Additionally, on the bottom left side of the photo, edges of the tile they’re standing on appear to be repeated.

A “mandatory kill notice” was issued by the Agence France-Presse, and the Associated Press, Reuters, and Getty images withdrew the photo as it “appeared to have been manipulated.”