Prince William attends the BAFTA awards alone 0:24

(CNN) --

Several major news agencies have removed an image distributed by Kensington Palace showing Kate, Princess of Wales, and her children, saying they believe the photo has been manipulated.

The photograph is the first officially released image of the princess since she underwent abdominal surgery in January, and comes after weeks of intense public speculation and growing conspiracy theories on social media about her exact whereabouts and state of health.

The image was published this Sunday with a message from the princess thanking the public for their support while Mother's Day was celebrated in the United Kingdom.

CNN is reviewing the photo and has contacted Kensington Palace for comment.

  • Kensington Palace releases the first photo of Kate, Princess of Wales, since her abdominal operation

This photo of Kate, Princess of Wales, with her children was published by Kensington Palace on March 10 in celebration of Mother's Day in the United Kingdom.

News agencies say she has been manipulated.

(Credit: Kensington Palace)

The Associated Press noted that "upon closer inspection, it appears the source has manipulated the image."

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AFP said it had removed the photo due to "an editorial issue."

The image "can no longer be used in any way. Please remove it immediately from all your online services," AFP said.

Reuters and the AP both pointed to Kate's daughter Charlotte's sleeve spacing as an area that raised manipulation concerns.

Reuters said the sleeve was not aligned correctly, suggesting the image had been altered.

He said the agency could not immediately determine how, why or by whom the alteration was made.

The Associated Press also noted "an inconsistency in the alignment" of the daughter's hand, saying the image had been manipulated "in a way that does not meet AP photographic standards."

  • ANALYSIS |

    Confusion persists over when she will appear in public again Kate, Princess of Wales

Most photo agencies and news organizations have strict rules against publishing images that have been heavily edited or manipulated.

Reuters says it only allows the use of Photoshop in a "very limited way," such as cropping or resizing images, or balancing their color.

Removing elements from a photo or adding them is strictly prohibited as it undermines confidence in the image.

News agencies also often use specialized software to check photographs for evidence of manipulation.

Rapid advances in generative artificial intelligence in recent years have made it increasingly easier for malicious actors to create convincing fake photos and videos, creating more verification difficulties for news organizations.

The removal of the images by major news agencies creates a new public relations headache for the British royal family at a time when it was trying to calm some of the wilder speculation that had exploded online after the surgery. Kate.

Kensington Palace had said in January that the princess, 42, was unlikely to return to public duties until Easter at the end of March.

The palace did not reveal what her surgery was for, but she said she was not cancerous.

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His long disappearance from public view generated furious online rumors and international media coverage.

Some of these subsided somewhat after a photograph emerged in early March of Kate in a car driven by her mother;

She was seen wearing dark sunglasses and sitting in the front passenger seat.

But speculation continued mainly online, especially on social media, fueled by other incidents within the royal family, such as when Prince William walked out of a major family gathering earlier this month without public explanation.

The palace was facing growing pressure to share more information about the future queen, without compromising her medical privacy.

In February, the palace made the rare move to hit back at the rumours, saying it had "clarified the timeline for the Princess's recovery in January and we would only provide meaningful updates. That guidance remains in place."

British royal family