Kate Middleton Steps Out With Prince Williams Hours After Apologizing For Embarrassing Photoshop Fail as Questions Swirl About Her Health

Princess Kate Middleton was seen for the first time since after apologizing for a photoshop fail amid speculation of her whereabouts after undergoing abdominal surgery in January, RadarOnline.com has learned.

Kate, 42, was seen leaving Windsor Castle alongside husband Prince William on Monday.

As OKMagazine.com reported, the 42-year-old queen-in-waiting was spotted in the backseat of a chauffeured vehicle, which was said to be headed for the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.

While Kate accompanied William, 41, for the car ride, she was not expected to attend the event and instead was headed to a private appointment, according to Page Six.

The brief sighting of Kate followed an awkward apology she issued after releasing a photo of her and Prince William's three children on Sunday, amid growing conspiracy theories about Kate, who had not been seen in months since her surgery.

In the photo, which was posted to X on the official Kensington Royal account, Kate was seen sitting in a chair surrounded by her three children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.

"Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day. C," the image was captioned, adding credit to Prince William for snapping the picture.

While the photo appeared to initially appease naysayers and put conspiracy theories to rest, it quickly backfired.

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Instead of shutting down rumors, the photo fueled further speculation when the AP and Reuters withdrew the report and sent notice to news agencies over concerns the image had been "manipulated."

The internet was soon buzzing with new theories about why the image was photoshopped, as well as the ever-growing question of where Kate was.

One day later, the Princess of Wales took to X in an attempt to clear the air and apologize for the photoshop fail.

"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. C," the Kensington Royal official X account posted on Monday morning.

While Kensington Palace acknowledged the image had been edited, the original image was not released.

Prior to Kate's outing on Monday, paparazzi snapped photos of her and her mother driving in an SUV last week, however, the image was grainy and critics suggested it was actually her sister, Pippa.