Prince William and Kate Middleton were blindsided by the backlash over their 2024 Mother’s Day photo.

Royal expert Robert Hardman told People magazine in an interview published Thursday, March 20, that the controversy left the Prince and Princess of Wales feeling “bruised” and was “treated like some great fraud.”

The scandal erupted after Kate, 43, shared a seemingly heartwarming photo with Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6.

But eagle-eyed viewers quickly spotted inconsistencies — Charlotte and Louis’ hands appeared altered, Kate’s zipper looked edited, and other details seemed airbrushed. Major photo agencies even pulled the image over concerns it had been manipulated.

Kate swiftly addressed the uproar, admitting she had “experimented with editing” and apologising “for any confusion.”

But her statement did little to quiet speculation, as she had been absent from public life following abdominal surgery, fueling theories about her health.

Days later, Princess Kate revealed she was undergoing cancer treatment, adding another layer of intensity to the scrutiny. She announced in November that her chemo was complete. 

Ailsa Anderson, former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth, described the period as a “roller coaster” for the couple, saying they felt trapped in a storm with no end in sight.

“Undergoing chemotherapy and trying to protect your children. It was like being in the middle of a tornado and not knowing when it was going to calm down,” Anderson said.