The first official photo of Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, released since she underwent abdominal surgery has been pulled by multiple media agencies amid concerns the image was manipulated.

The Associated Press (AP), Reuters, Getty Images and Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Sunday issued notices not to use the image of Kate and her three children, which was released by Kensington Palace.

The AP said the photo had been withdrawn because upon “closer inspection, it appears that the source had manipulated the image” and the photo showed an “inconsistency in the alignment” of the left hand of Kate’s daughter, Princess Charlotte.

The AFP said the image could not be used as it had been “altered” without elaborating.

Reuters said it had deleted the image “following a post-publication review”.

When contacted for comment, the AP and AFP directed Al Jazeera to statements contained in the withdrawal notices issued to their media clients.

Reuters and Getty Images did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Kensington Palace did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months.

Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day. C

The Prince of Wales, 2024 pic.twitter.com/6DywGBpLLQ

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 10, 2024

The photo was posted on The Prince and Princess of Wales’s official X account on Sunday accompanied by a caption thanking the public for their “kind wishes and continued support over the last two months” and wishing the public a Happy Mother’s Day.

The image was purportedly taken by Kate’s husband, Prince William, during the past week on the grounds of Windsor Castle just outside of London.

The release of the image, which remained online on Sunday night despite the withdrawal notices, came after Kensington Palace announced in January that Kate, 42, had been hospitalised for surgery and would take a break from official royal duties until after Easter.

The lack of details about the reasons for the queen-in-waiting’s surgery and her prolonged absence from the public has prompted a flurry of speculation and conspiracy theories about her condition.

Kate last appeared in public on Christmas Day while attending a church service at the royal family’s Sandringham estate.