TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- A video of Kate Middleton and Prince William walking through a Windsor market did little to quell online conspiracies regarding the Princess' health.
Onlookers described Middleton as "happy, relaxed and healthy" in her first public outing after undergoing an undisclosed planned abdominal surgery on Jan. 29, according to U.K tabloid The Sun.
Rumors about Middleton's health began to swirl after the surgery, when it was announced she would not appear in public for months. The Royal family said she is expected back after Easter.
She was photographed in a car on March 5, but Kensington Palace did not comment on the sighting.
Middleton apologized for “confusion” caused by her altering of a family photo released by the palace on March 11. The image of Kate and her children was intended to calm concern and speculation about the British royal's health, but had the opposite effect.
Several news agencies that initially published the photo, including the Associated Press, withdrew the image over concerns about digital manipulation. Amid mounting controversy, Middleton said in a social media post that “like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.”
The video of William and Kate released Saturday added fuel to the conspiracy theories, which includes speculation that the palace used a body double to represent Middleton. The palace likely released the video to address the rumors, but without getting directly involved, a PR expert told TODAY.
The controversy put the Royals' long-held mantra of "never complain, never explain" into question. Before the age of social media, they exercised more control over the narrative, but with the demand for real-time information, they may have to change their PR strategy.
As of late, the U.K.'s privacy watchdog, The Information Commissioner's Office, is investigating a "breach report" after the Daily Mirror reported that a staff member at the London Clinic, where Middleton had her surgery, attempted to access her medical records.
Getty Images also reportedly told Forbes that it flagged another photograph that was allegedly taken by Middleton in 2022, which shows the late Queen Elizabeth II surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
According to Forbes, Getty said the photo was "digitally enhanced" and is "undertaking a review of handout images" and will flag other photos that appeared to have been manipulated.
The Associated Press contributed to this report