Kate Middleton Had an 'Extremely Disproportionate' Response to Her Mother's Day Photo Scandal

Kate Middleton was caught in the midst of controversy when she shared an edited image with her three kids, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, for Mother's Day, but one royal expert claimed the scrutiny was misdirected.

Kate's Instagram post received significant attention, as it was her first social media post since beginning her medical leave. However, when the royal released the image, she had yet to announce she was diagnosed with cancer or address the conspiracy theories about her whereabouts.

"As far as the princess was concerned... this had just been a mother deciding to share a personal picture of her and her children on Mother's Day to bring some joy to the nation," Hardman wrote.

"The Prince and Princess have agency in everything... They are the final decision-makers," he continued.

OK! previously reported Kate took to X to acknowledge the blunder.

"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," Kate penned.

One palace insider credited the mishap to Kate being a millennial.

"There was no malintent. But it unleashed up a pent-up feeling that people wanted information — unfortunately, that’s the curse of being a modern royal, It was a complex reaction," a former palace aide told an outlet.

Kate and Prince William are often seen as representing the future of the monarchy, and the princess' September cancer-free update reminded one royal expert of Princess Diana.

“It was a message that you could see the deep struggle. It was obviously a very, very positive spin was on it because she has now finished chemo, but she emphasizes in her message the long road ahead,” Richard Fitzwilliams told an outlet.

“The millions of people who’ve suffered in one way or another from this dreadful disease — I, being one of them with my mother — will relate so personally to this,” Fitzwilliams added. “It’s also clear that she is with them all the way, and yet she is also in a much better place. But it is still a struggle.”

In Kate's post, she chose to highlight her connection with William, their children, and her two parents, Michael Middleton and Carole Middleton.

“Emphasis on family, healing, nature, empathizing with the health struggles of others — it’s all there,” Christopher Andersen explained. “It’s hard not to think of Princess Diana when you look at this video. She brought the same kind of energy to the royal family.”

Kate shared a video in September to reveal she finished her treatment after taking months away from her public life.

"As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment. The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family," Kate began. "Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown."

"The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you," the mom-of-three continued. "With humility, it also brings you face to face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before, and with that, a new perspective on everything."