Royal Patient Posts Photo and a Message

UPDATE Mar 10, 2024 10:40 AM CDT

This story originally appeared with a photo of the royal family that the AP and other news agencies have since retracted because it appeared to have been digitally manipulated. The princess has since apologized for "editing" the image. More details here.

Mar 10, 2024 10:40 AM CDT

Her spokespeople had warned that Kate Middleton would be out of the public eye until after Easter while she recovers from the abdominal surgery she had on Jan. 16. But as the absence dragged on, rumors and speculation filled the royal void. On Sunday, the Princess of Wales returned with a post on X that may offer reassurance, Time reports. The post on the UK's Mother's Day includes a message and a photo of her, smiling, surrounded by her three smiling children: George, 10; Charlotte, 8, and Louis, 5.

"Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months," the text reads. "Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day. C" Her husband, Prince William, took the photo in Windsor last week, per Yahoo Life. Since she left the hospital after a two-week stay, she's been recuperating at Adelaide Cottage, their home there. The photo is the first taken by the Prince of Wales that's been officially released. It's usually his wife who takes the family photos, per People. (More Kate Middleton stories.)