The Princess of Wales has moved away from sharing a personal photo with her children on Mothering Sunday

Kate Middleton visits Scotland on Jan. 20, 2026.Credit : Karwai Tang / Getty

Kate Middleton marked Mothering Sunday in a different way this year.

To honor the equivalent of Mother’s Day in the United States, the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which Kate launched in 2021, shared an animated social media video.

“Today we celebrate every mother, carer and caregiver whose steady love gives children the foundations to thrive,” they wrote in the caption. “Here’s to all who nurture and guide with the quiet acts that shape the next generation. Happy Mother’s Day.”

Prince William also paid tribute on Mothering Sunday, sharing a previously unseen photo with Princess Diana on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ joint social media pages. However, Kate did not star in a new photo with their three children — Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7 — as she has in years past for the holiday.

For Mothering Sunday in 2024, Princess Kate appeared in a new image alongside her children, taken by Prince William. The image received extra attention as it marked the first time seeing the Princess of Wales in several weeks, as she was recovering from a “planned abdominal surgery” that took place in January 2024. (Kate revealed shortly after the holiday that she was receiving treatment for cancer, contributing to her absence from the public eye. She shared in January 2025 that she was in remission.)

However, major photo agencies later pulled the image due to suspicions of manipulation. Princess Kate publicly addressed the photo editing controversy a day later, saying in a statement shared on social media, “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.”

Prince William, Prince George, Prince Louis, Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte on May 5, 2025.Neil Mockford/GC Images

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! 

Last year, Princess Kate used Mothering Sunday to reflect on the healing power of Mother Nature, launching a quarterly video project celebrating the natural world.

“Over the past year, nature has been our sanctuary,” she said in an Instagram post at the time. “This Mother’s Day, let us celebrate Mother Nature and recognize how our bond with the natural world can help not only nurture our inner selves, but remind us too of the role we play within the rich tapestry of life,” she continued, concluding the post with her first initial, “C” for Catherine, to indicate that the message was from her.

Princess Kate and Prince William often use holidays, such as Mothering Sunday, Father’s Day and the Christmas season, as well as occasions like their children’s birthdays, to share personal family photos with the public.

Prince William, 43, marked Father’s Day in June 2025 by sharing new images with George, Charlotte and Louis. Taken by photographer Josh Shinner, the snaps appeared to be taken during the same photo session as the portraits for Louis’ 7th birthday.