During February and March 2024, global news was flooded with speculation about Kate Middleton’s whereabouts.

For weeks, the 43-year-old Princess stayed out of the public eye, sparking concern among Royal Family fans while also fueling bizarre conspiracy theories online.

These wild rumors gained even more traction after several Photoshop blunders involving Kate surfaced—leading to widespread backlash and a heartfelt public apology from her.

What the world didn’t realize at the time was that the mother of three had undergone scheduled abdominal surgery, received a cancer diagnosis, and was quietly undergoing treatment behind the scenes.

One year after the incident, a royal expert has shed light on the profound impact that the speculation had on Kate and her family.

Among the most widely debated Photoshop mishaps was a Mother’s Day post shared by Kate, featuring her children—Princes George and Louis, 11 and six, and Princess Charlotte, nine.

Critics quickly pointed out several inconsistencies in the image, such as an irregular area near Charlotte’s sleeve, mismatched window panes, a missing reflection in the glass, and Kate’s jacket zipper stopping midway.

The controversy deepened when major global news agencies, including AP, AFP, and Reuters, decided to withdraw the image, citing concerns that it had been ‘manipulated.’ Eventually, Kate admitted to editing the photo.

“There was a real sense then that they felt bruised by it,” royal author Robert Hardman told PEOPLE this week.

“It was treated like some great fraud.”

At the time, the Princess acknowledged the mistake, stating: “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.”

Ailsa Anderson, former press secretary to the late Queen Elizabeth II, also commented on the backlash over the Photoshopping error, telling the publication: “It was like being on a roller coaster for them… 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.”

On 22 March, Kate publicly shared her diagnosis through an emotional video, revealing she was in the early stages of treatment.

“It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but I’ve had a fantastic medical team who have taken great care of me, for which I am so grateful,” she said at the time.

Around that period, her father-in-law, King Charles, was also diagnosed with cancer, with reports suggesting that her husband, Prince William, learned of both illnesses “within a couple of weeks.”

Jason Knauf, who worked for the Waleses until 2021, previously spoke on 60 Minutes Australia about how the family’s health struggles may have affected William.

“If you’re Prince William, you find out that both your wife and your father have cancer…” Knauf reflected during the February interview.

“I mean, I couldn’t believe it.”

Recalling a supposed phone call between him and William after Kate’s diagnosis, the former aide added: “It was awful, absolutely awful.

“It’s the lowest I’ve ever seen him.”

Last September, Kate shared that she had completed chemotherapy and was gradually resuming her royal duties.

Then, in January, while visiting the Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea, the Princess confirmed that her cancer was in remission.

“I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year,” she expressed at the time. “My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything.”

Kate also added, “We couldn’t have asked for more. The care and advice we have received throughout my time as a patient has been exceptional.”