LONDON (AFP) – British media on Monday published new images of Catherine, Princess of Wales, a week after a furore over an edited photograph turned into a “PR disaster”.
British tabloid The Sun published a video and a photograph of a smiling Kate, 42, walking alongside her husband, Prince William, at a farmer’s market in Windsor, west of the capital London.
“Great to see you Kate,” said The Sun on Monday evening, alongside the images of the princess wearing leggings and a black top.
Kate was at the centre of an uproar last week after she admitted to editing an official portrait of her and her three children that was released by Buckingham Palace on Mothering Sunday.
It came after Kate had not been seen at a public event since attending a Christmas Day church service, and underwent abdominal surgery in January, fuelling speculation about her health.
Instead of calming fears over her health, the edited picture sent the rumour mill into overdrive as media scrambled to pull the picture.
Kate apologised but faced criticism even from usually supportive media.
British media said that these new images were taken on Saturday on a shopping trip.
The Sun — a usually pro-royal family publication — said that experts had decried the video as a “perfect answer to trolls”.
It said that William, the heir to the throne, and Kate were also present at a sports event on Sunday in which their three children — George, Charlotte and Louis — took part.
Another newspaper that is often supportive of the royals, The Daily Mail, lauded an “image that will silence the conspiracy theorists”.
The image “will reassure fans she is making a good recovery from her abdominal surgery”, added the Mail, which last week described the edited photograph fiasco as a “PR disaster”.
Before its release, Kate had actually already been photographed in a car with William.
But rumours about her health have persisted for weeks.
British media over the weekend said that Kate is still not due to return to public duties until mid-April.
