'Lay off her': Kate Middleton 'feeling miserable' over Mother's Day picture controversy, say royal experts

LONDON, UK: Amidst the fallout from a photo editing controversy surrounding the Mother's Day picture released by Kensington Palace, royal experts have voiced concerns about the mental and physical well-being of Kate Middleton.

Royal commentator Jennie Bond suggested that the Princess of Wales, who recently underwent a major surgery in January, may be in a "fragile mental and physical state" and will be "feeling miserable", and urged people to "lay off her", reported The Daily Mail.

Royal experts express concern for Kate Middleton's well-being amid photo row

Bond's remarks come as several celebrities and royal experts came to Middleton's defense.

Another royal expert, Angela Levin, commended Middleton for her honesty and urged people to refrain from speculating or blaming her for the editing error.

In the aftermath of the controversy, Kate has publicly accepted responsibility and issued an apology for the resulting confusion.

Bond highlighted the intense pressure Middleton may be experiencing whenever she appears in public, given her recent medical history.

Additionally, Levin commended Middleton for her honesty and integrity in addressing the issue saying, "She may be the future Queen (but) she's still an amateur photographer."

Despite calls for the original, unedited image to be released, Kensington Palace has stated that it will not reissue the photograph.

Photographs of Middleton taken recently with her husband, Prince William, suggest that her Mother's Day celebrations were marred by the fallout from the photo row, The Daily mail reported.

Experts rally behind Kate Middleton amidst photo editing controversy

In the wake of the controversy, royal experts have come forward to defend her and express concern over the toll the situation may be taking on her mental and physical well-being.

Bond, speaking on GB News, cautioned against what she described as potential bullying directed at Middleton, who is currently recovering from a serious operation.

"We are in danger of bullying a lady who is trying to recover from a very serious operation. I think of how she must be feeling this morning. Absolutely miserable, I think," she said.

Meanwhile, Levin commended Middleton for taking responsibility for the photo editing error without blaming any staff members.

"People should be proud that Princess Catherine hasn't blamed any member of staff and realise how honourable she is. Harry and Meghan's supporters can stop saying they wouldn't have had a Photoshop fail and should take over. Jumping in when someone is unwell is dishonourable."

The Palace had reportedly invested weeks in planning to release a carefully curated photo of the princess, aiming to quell rampant speculation on social media regarding the nature of Kate's condition since her surgery in January. However, instead of calming the storm, the decision to publish an edited family portrait ignited a fresh wave of controversy.

The Press Association, among others, sensationally pulled the photo from their wires and libraries due to concerns that the source had manipulated the image.

Amid the escalating furore, the princess took the unprecedented step of issuing a public apology on both Twitter and Instagram, acknowledging her role in editing the photo. Describing herself as an "amateur photographer," she admitted to occasionally experimenting with editing techniques but expressed remorse for any confusion caused.

Kate was said to have felt honesty was the best policy and wanted to 'own up' to the Photoshop mistake. The princess felt 'awful' about the picture and had been trying to make it the 'best it could be', insiders told The Times, adding that she was "thinking of her own children when editing the picture, hoping that they looked good for their own sakes."