Call it palace intrigue.

The aquatic monarchy at a Rockland, Maine festival is weathering rough seas this weekend, after organizers decided to dethrone the event’s Sea Goddess because of what they described as inappropriate photos on her social media accounts.

Eighteen-year-old Taylor Hamlin was crowned Sea Goddess of the 71-year-old festival Wednesday. On Thursday, she posted on Facebook she was removed from the annual appointment after community members e-mailed the photos of her to the festival’s committee.

The Portland Press Herald reported that one photo showed Hamlin holding a joint. Another showed her holding a device for vaping.

When the decision became public, though, hundreds of people stepped forward to complain.

More than 1,700 critics of the move signed an online petition to reinstate the pageant winner, and others have also posted complaints on the Facebook page of the festival. The sprawling comment section on a post by the festival organizers defending the decision had grown to nearly 1,000 replies Saturday.

“She did all that was expected of her and won fair and square. Her teen mistake should not be held against her. Let the past stay in the past,’’ wrote one poster.

The organizers of the festival could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Hamlin, in a post on her Facebook page, said that “Everybody is a teen once and awhile. I’m sorry to whoever didn’t receive the goddess they wanted and felt the need to sabotage this amazing thing that has happened to me.’’

She noted that she is active throughout her community, “in sports, church, and school.’’

“I will always be this years sea goddess in my heart and hopefully in all of yours,’’ she wrote.

She could not be reached for comment Saturday. She will be allowed to keep the $2,000 scholarship she received when she was named this year’s Sea Goddess, according to the Village Soup website.

Hamlin said she was told to sign a document saying she could no longer fulfill her duties. Organizers said the photos ‘‘were not in keeping with the behavior and image of the Maine Sea Goddess’’ and Taylor decided to resign.

Crown Princess Erin Dugan will assume sea goddess duties.

Several people urged the festival organizers to reverse their decision.

“It is shameful that this has happened. Taylor broke no rules and won fair and square. The Directors should admit their mistake and reinstate her crown,’’ wrote one poster. “They already look foolish, so turning it around is not going to make them look any worse than they do. Taylor can hold her head up high. She is not the girl who was humiliated by the Festival. She is the girl that the Festival humiliated itself over.’’

Police were aware of the complaints, but reported no protests or disruption at the festival’s annual parade on Saturday.

On Saturday, Rockland deputy police chief Christopher Young said in a phone interview that there were “no threats directly pointed at the festival itself” about the sea goddess decision.

He said police had been informed of “un-credible” social media posts calling for a boycott of the festival or protests or disruption the parade. He said the parade ran from 10 a.m. until around noon with no incidents.