Will Prince William and Princess Catherine’s family photo tradition fade away following recent controversy?

The tradition of Prince William and Princess Catherine capturing and sharing intimate family moments might be coming to an end, as recent events cast doubts on the viability of their cherished practice.

Renowned royal biographer Ingrid Seward expressed concerns to The Mirror, hinting that the recent controversy over the Mother’s Day photo release might prompt the Prince and Princess of Wales to reconsider their approach to sharing family photos.

Seward noted the strain the controversy has placed on the couple, suggesting that the scrutiny and hassle involved in releasing such images may no longer seem worthwhile.

“Perhaps William and Kate will decide it is just not worth the trouble of taking their own pictures and releasing them to the media? It might be a wise precaution,” she suggested.

“The Princess of Wales shouldn’t have had to apologise for providing us all with a beautiful photograph, albeit taken by her husband.

“The whole idea was ruined. Just what Kate didn’t need when she was recovering from an operation.”

The image in question, featuring Catherine alongside her three children – George, Charlotte, and Louis – was shared to social media on Sunday, March 10 only to be swiftly withdrawn by news agencies, including The Associated Press, amid allegations of photo manipulation.

The Palace insisted that the photo, supposedly taken by Prince William himself, was intended to mark Mother’s Day in Britain. However, the alleged manipulation of the image raised eyebrows and led to a violation of news agency photo guidelines.

This particular snapshot marked Princess Catherine’s first official appearance since undergoing abdominal surgery nearly two months ago, putting an end to weeks of speculation and curiosity about her whereabouts.

While the photo was designed to dispel rumours and reassure the public, it seems to have had the opposite effect, fueling further conjecture about the circumstances surrounding its release.

In a rare move, Princess Catherine addressed the controversy directly through a post on her official social media accounts.

“Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing,” she began.

“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.”

As the dust settles, observers wonder whether this episode marks the end of an era for the royal couple’s candid family snapshots.