Kate Middleton’s Cancer Announcement Video Receives Editor’s Note on Getty — Here’s Why
There’s a simple reason Kate Middleton’s cancer announcement video was flagged with an editor’s note on Getty Images.

The Princess of Wales, 42, announced that she is undergoing treatment for cancer in an emotional video message recorded by BBC Studios on March 20 and released by Kensington Palace on March 22.

Some noticed the caption of the clip on Getty Images includes an editor’s note that states, “This Handout clip was provided by a third-party organization and may not adhere to Getty Images’ editorial policy.”

A Getty Images spokesperson told PEOPLE on Tuesday, “Getty Images includes a standard editors note to handout content provided by third party organizations.”

The footage is credited to “BBC Studios/Kensington Palace” via Getty Images. Home to over 130 million images, Getty is the largest privately‑owned photographic archive in the world.

Princess Kate sat alone on a bench in the garden of Windsor Castle to film the announcement about her health. The royal explained that she is receiving “preventative chemotherapy” after tests following her abdominal surgery in January “found cancer had been present.” The Princess of Wales said that her condition was thought to be non-cancerous when she had surgery, described the diagnosis as a “huge shock” and asked for privacy for her young family as she completes treatment.

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Princess Kate shares Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5, with Prince William, and the royal mom strategically shared the news when her children were out of school for Easter break.

Some wondered why Princess Kate delivered the news without her husband, whom she referenced multiple times in the self-written speech.

“It is a message from the princess about her health, and she wanted to personally deliver the message on her own,” a palace source tells PEOPLE about the background. The insider says Princess Kate made clear that Prince William has been “supporting her throughout.”

Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales arrive for their visit to SportsAid at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre

“William is extremely proud of his wife for the courage and strength she has shown not just this week but since her surgery in January,” the source says. “Now more than ever, he’s focused on ensuring his wife has the privacy she needs to fully recover and that his children are shielded from the understandable interest in the news that has been shared.”

The Princess of Wales mentioned in the address that she and her husband took time to “explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be okay.” The palace source adds that Kate felt it was key she share the news with the world when the time was right.

“She and the prince needed time to process the news, she needed time to recover from surgery and she needed time to tell the children. That was the driving force,” they say.

The video announcement on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ X account has been viewed over 105 million times since it was shared by the palace on March 22.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla with Prince William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales, Prince Louis of Wales and Prince George of Wales on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour on June 17, 2023 in London, England. Trooping the Colour is a traditional parade held to mark the British Sovereign’s official birthday. It will be the first Trooping the Colour held for King Charles III since he ascended to the throne.

The editor’s note on Getty is not the first flag from the global photo agency regarding content from the royal family in recent weeks.

Princess Kate apologized for “any confusion” around the picture with her kids released for U.K. Mother’s Day, which multiple global photo agencies, including Getty, pulled from their libraries due to suspicion of manipulation. Shortly after, the Princess of Wales was scrutinized again for allegedly altering a family photo previously released by the palace.

The snap in the spotlight was a portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth and some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren taken by Kate and released by Buckingham Palace on what would have been the monarch’s 97th birthday in April 2023. Although the photo taken at Balmoral in the summer of 2022 had been public for nearly a year, Getty Images announced the picture had been manipulated.

“Getty Images has reviewed the image in question and placed an editor’s note on it, stating that the image has been digitally enhanced at source,” a Getty spokesperson told The Telegraph in a post published on March 18.

The outlet identified at least six discrepancies, from a hiccup with the tartan pattern on the late Queen’s skirt and a digital repetition of Mia Tindall’s hair. Prince William and Princess Kate shared the shot on their official social media accounts last April, with the image credited to “The Princess,” who is known for her photography hobby.