A picture of the Princess of Wales and her kids released for the British holiday in 2024 sparked controversy, after the image was pulled for photo editing
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Kate Middleton is celebrating Mother’s Day in the U.K.
The mom of three — who shares Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, with Prince William — marked Mothering Sunday, the British version of the holiday, on March 30 with a touching tribute to Mother Nature.
“Over the past year, nature has been our sanctuary,” Princess Kate, 43, captioned her Instagram post, which featured a video made up of various outdoor scenes.
“This Mother’s Day, let us celebrate Mother Nature and recognize how our bond with the natural world can help not only nurture our inner selves, but remind us too of the role we play within the rich tapestry of life,” she continued, concluding the post with. “C.”
Kate’s Mother’s Day tribute for 2025 comes after she made headlines last year on Mothering Sunday after releasing a then-new photo that showed her seated on a chair surrounded by her kids, which was taken by Prince William, 42.
The image received extra attention as it marked the first time seeing the royal mom in several weeks, as she was recovering from a “planned abdominal surgery” that took place in January 2024. (Kate revealed shortly after the holiday that she was receiving treatment for cancer, contributing to her absence from the public eye. She shared in January that she was in remission.)
However, less than 12 hours after the photo was shared, major agencies began pulling the photo due to suspicions of manipulation. A spokesperson for the Associated Press released a statement to The Telegraph, saying, “The photo shows an inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte’s left hand,” while others noticed alignment issues on clothing as well as blurred areas on the image.
Kate publicly addressed the Photoshop controversy a day later, saying in a statement shared on social media, “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day.”
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A source told PEOPLE that Kate made what they called “minor adjustments” to the “amateur, family photograph taken by the Prince of Wales.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales’ motivation was “to offer an informal picture of the family together for Mother’s Day,” the source said, adding that “the family spent Mother’s Day together and had a wonderful day.”
Princess Kate spent much of 2024 out of the public eye amid her cancer treatment, but slowly returned to royal duties in the fall. She announced in January that she was in remission and has taken on a number of both solo engagements and joint outings with Prince William since.
Ailsa Anderson, former press secretary to the late Queen Elizabeth, recently told PEOPLE: “Fast-forward, and what a difference a year makes. She’s even more beloved in the nation’s hearts than she was.”
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Princess Kate and Prince William often use holidays, including Mothering Sunday, Father’s Day and their annual Christmas card, as well as occasions like their children’s birthdays, to share personal family photos with the public.
