Kate Middleton Posts 'Manipulated' Photo Without Wedding Ring Amid Health Issues

Kate Middleton has broken her silence and shared a new photo with her children after more than two months away from the spotlight.

In the picture shared by Kensington Palace Sunday in honor of Mother's Day in the U.K., the Princess of Wales can be seen smiling while surrounded by her and Prince William's three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

Princess Kate embraced Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5, while her eldest child, 10-year-old Prince George, has his arms around his mother in the image posted on the Prince and Princess of Wales' official social media accounts.

Middleton did not sport her wedding ring or any other jewelry as she went for a casual look for the portrait.

The photo was taken by Prince William, according to the caption.

The Princess of Wales accompanied the photo with a message thanking everyone who sent her love and well-wishes as she recovered from abdominal surgery.

"Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day," Middleton wrote alongside the snap, signing the message with a "C" for Catherine.

According to The New York Times, Kensington Palace said the photo was taken this week in Windsor, where Prince William, Princess Kate, and their kids live in Adelaide Cottage.

However, hours after the family photo was posted, The Associated Press and other photo agencies issued a "kill order" for the image to media outlets, The Mirror reported.

The Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse (AFP), and Getty Images said they had each removed the picture from their libraries.

The Associated Press reportedly said the photo appeared to have been "manipulated" by the source.

Some fans and social media users also speculated that the image had been Photoshopped and claimed it looked like it was generated by artificial intelligence.

They claimed that Prince George's right hand seemed out of focus and Princess Charlotte's arm didn't appear to line up correctly.

One Instagram user pointed out other alleged discrepancies in the photo, writing: "no ring, tree in full bloom in winter, jeans after major abdomial [sic] surgery, face shape completely different from car photo."

The family photo marked Middleton's first official public sighting since undergoing "planned abdominal surgery" on Jan. 16.

It also comes amid increasingly wild and bizarre conspiracy theories about Middleton's condition and whereabouts that surfaced on social media after she had not been seen publicly since Christmas Day.

The lack of photos and updates had royal fans and social media users coming up with various speculations, from Middleton allegedly getting plastic surgery and a Brazilian butt lift to her being in a coma.

On March 4, TMZ released paparazzi photos showing the Princess of Wales in the front passenger seat of a car driven by her mother, Carole Middleton, near Windsor.

In the images, Middleton sported sunglasses and did not appear to be accompanied by security detail.

However, the snaps continued to fuel the various rumors surrounding Middleton, with some claiming she looked "unrecognizable" in the photos.

Last week, Middleton's team released a statement as the rumors swirled, saying that the royal was "doing well."

"Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess' recovery and we'd only be providing significant updates," a spokesperson for Middleton told the New York Post. "That guidance stands."