Kate Middleton looks "unrecognizable" to some royal fans as she was seen out for the first time since her abdominal surgery.

Photos of the Princess of Wales' first public sighting since mid-January were published Monday by several outlets, including the New York Post, and quickly went viral on social media.

In the snaps, Middleton can be seen sporting huge sunglasses inside an Audi near Windsor Castle.

She was accompanied by her mom, Carole, who drove the vehicle.

Numerous royal fans and watchers took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their reactions, with some claiming that Middleton looked different and suggesting she may have gotten plastic surgery.

"Help, she looks [unrecognizable]? Hope she's doing okay, stealing King Charles' life force," one user joked under a post by Pop Base about Middleton.

"Why does she look like she actually had full face surgery?" another person wrote before suggesting that Middleton may have had "lip injections, [B]otox, fat reduction, double chin removal, liposuction, buccal fat removal, brow lift, [and] forehead implant."

"I know face lift swelling when I see it," a third user claimed.

Some X users also joked about the wild conspiracy theories that have spread about Middleton while she was away from the public eye, including that she could be recovering from a cosmetic procedure known as a Brazilian butt lift (BBL).

"She got a [BBL], I can tell by her eyes," one person quipped.

Another joked, "I can tell by this high quality photo, she got a BBL."

"Nose job, jawline fillers, chin shaving, buccal fat removal, lip injections, brow lift, cheek fillers, [and] BBL," another user commented about Middleton's most recent photos.

Others, however, suggested that the woman in the snaps may not actually be Middleton.

"Is she wearing a hood? Hairline is odd and eyebrows above glasses are bizarre. Either she's been through the wringer or that's not her," one user wrote.

"Who is this 'cause it sure as heck is not Kate Middleton," another claimed.

Another suggested that the woman pictured was the royal's sister, Pippa Middleton, citing the woman's alleged "squarer jaw," lack of a mole above her lip, and "different lip shape."

Prince William's wife underwent planned abdominal surgery at The London Clinic on Jan. 16, according to a statement from Kensington Palace at the time.

Princess Kate was hospitalized for nearly two weeks before continuing her recovery at her family's home in Windsor.

Kensington Palace said Middleton was not expected to resume public duties until after Easter.

No other detail has been disclosed regarding Middleton's health issue and surgery, but People reported that it was not cancer-related.

This month, speculation about Middleton's whereabouts took over social media, eventually leading to her team setting the record straight.

"Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess' recovery and we'd only be providing significant updates," the royal's rep told the New York Post last week. "That guidance stands."

The spokesperson added that Princess Kate was "doing well."

Tags
Kate Middleton, British royal family