The Princess of Wales broke with tradition for Mother’s Day in the UK, now a royal insider has revealed why.
Kate Middleton opted for an animated tribute for the special day instead of the usual family photo.
It comes after last year’s intense backlash over an edited image.
Kate, 44, shared a video celebrating mothers, carers and caregivers through the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, rather than posting a new family photo marking the day with her family.
“Today we celebrate every mother, carer and caregiver whose steady love gives children the foundation to thrive,” the message posted to Instagram revealed.
The move marks a noticeable shift from previous years, where the Princess and Prince William would release a personal family photograph featuring Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
This decision comes after the controversy surrounding Kate’s Mother’s Day image, which was withdrawn by major photo outlets over concerns it had been digitally altered.
At the time, the Princess issued a rare apology, admitting she had “experimented with editing,” and expressing regret for any confusion caused.
The image was shared while the mother-of-three was recovering from surgery, before she later revealed she was undergoing cancer treatment.
Sources reported to news outlet Radar Online say the fallout from the incident has had a lasting impact, with the Princess of Wales causing a more cautious approach this year to avoid further scrutiny.
The official social media for the Prince and Princess of Wales also shared a photo of young William with his mother, Diana.
“Remembering my mother, today and every day. Thinking of all those who are remembering someone they love today. Happy Mother’s Day,“ the caption read.
With no mention of Kate, the revelation comes after speculation rumours that the pair are heading for divorce.
Reports started circulating earlier this year that the Prince, 43, and Princess of Wales, 44, were about to announce their separation.
Those rumours began after a video emerged of William arriving by helicopter at Kensington Palace with children Prince George, 12, and Princess Charlotte, 10.
The rumour was further fuelled when William failed to publicly acknowledge Kate’s birthday on January 9 — which he has done in previous years.
This year, Kate marked the occasion with a reflective, nature-themed video shared to social media, but the video had no appearance from William and he did not comment on the post.
However, a source close to the couple spoke out, claiming the royals were “frustrated” by the rumour, with the insider telling New Idea “nothing could be further from the truth”.
The pair will celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary in April.