Lorraine Kelly, a television presenter, has drawn criticism for her appeal to the public to respect Princess Kate’s privacy amidst controversy surrounding an edited family photo. This stance sparked accusations of hypocrisy from social media users who highlighted Kelly’s perceived lack of similar support for Meghan Markle amid past cyberbullying issues. The controversy arose from Princess Kate’s Mother’s Day Instagram post, which featured an edited photo of her family. Kate, who has been out of the public eye since Christmas Day 2023 and recently underwent surgery, issued an apology for any confusion caused by her photo’s alterations, explaining her experimentation with editing.

The situation has ignited a debate regarding media treatment and public scrutiny of royals, with some dismissing the photo controversy as inconsequential in the larger global context, while others express concern for Kate’s well-being. Writer Charlotte Cripps defended Kate’s actions, arguing that the practice of editing photos to depict familial happiness is commonplace and should not be grounds for “mum-shaming”. Cripps shared her own experiences of using Photoshop to achieve perfection in family pictures, advocating for empathy and understanding towards mothers, including those in the limelight, who face the pressures of social media representation. This discussion has prompted wider reflections on the expectations placed on mothers and the challenges of modern parenting in a digitally interconnected world.