By CHLOE GRUSING
Editorial Editor
This past month has been a wild time on the internet.
Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, has been the center of hundreds of conspiracy theories throughout the month of March. The public has been speculating where she is, as she has not been seen publicly since this past Christmas.
Due to harsh criticism and public pressure, Middleton released a photoshopped image that left the public even more confused. The speculation continued to grow about her whereabouts and the palace then followed with a video message from Middleton stating that she has cancer.
The public is still left with many questions and theories as to what the truth is. Many folks are worried about the safety and wellbeing of the princess.
What sparked these rumors and theories to start? Let’s look back at the past few months and piece together what information has been given.
On Dec. 25, Middleton made her last public appearance for Christmas. Shortly after this announcement on Jan. 17, the palace announced to the public Middleton would be undergoing a planned abdominal surgery.
The announcement did not give any detail as to what the procedure was, just that it was planned.
Middleton returned home for the London Clinic on Jan. 29 and began her recovery process. There are no photos of her leaving the hospital, many assume this is for privacy reasons.
The end of February is when the conspiracy theories began.
Prince William pulled out of a memorial service due to personal reasons, and the public assumed this was because Middleton was experiencing health issues. People began to worry about the princess, and the palace released another statement stating Middleton was doing well. However, this vague statement caused the public to speculate Middleton’s whereabouts, as she had not been seen publicly in weeks. The rumors included botched surgery, divorce and even the death of Middleton.
On March 4 a paparazzi photo of Middleton and her mother was taken, but the image was poor quality and did not look like the princess, according to her followers. The image only fueled the rumor mill and caused the whole internet to begin worrying about the princess’s wellbeing.
The height of the frenzy began on March 10, when Kate released a poorly photoshopped image for Mother’s Day in the UK. The image had clear signs of photoshop or AI use, with her children’s fingers being crossed and broken looking along with cut lines in the clothes.
The picture released was so poorly edited the Associated Press had to release a kill statement saying the photo was not real.
The rumors began to run wild online, with the public ultimately believing Prince William was cheating or somehow involved in covering up Middleton’s death. I personally felt compelled to believe the conspiracy theories, as the photoshop was so shotty. I am confused on how such a highly regarded institution could have such a slip up.
Damage control began shortly after the photo was released, with Middleton stating she edited the photo herself. This was not believed by the public whatsoever, and only left people more confused.
The next major event to happen in this saga was on March 18 when William and Kate were spotted shopping. This however did not help the royals’ case, as most people believed “Kate” was actually a body double.
The public would not get a sufficient answer until March 22, when Middleton released a video sharing that she has cancer.
In the video the princess thanks the public for their concern and states doctors found cancer while performing the planned surgery. She said she has been recovering privately and asked for time and respect while she recovered.
While some people believed the statement, many people still believe the video was fake. Some accounts on X, formerly Twitter, have claimed the background moves at a weird angle, her facial expressions look unnatural, and the shirt she is wearing was also worn in 2016. The public began to worry about the validity of this statement and began to analyze the video.
I do believe most people think the palace is doing some shady things. Why would they release such a poorly photoshopped picture? Why was William not present in the video? Is the princess safe?
These are the questions I was left with after watching these events unfold. It is suspicious the way the palace handled the situation. I believe that Middleton has cancer, but the events leading up to the announcement make me suspicious. The rumors may have some truth to them, but the public will most likely never get the answers they are searching for.
The palace is known to have a checkered past, like their treatment of Princess Diana. People who supported Diana still believe Buckingham had something to do with her death.
However, there has been no concrete evidence to prove this rumor, so therefore, it remains a rumor. The public will most likely never know the secrets of the royal family so rumors and gossip are inevitable. I hope the princess recovers and is healthy, not only for her duties but also for her family. My main concern is the children in this situation.
I wish Middleton nothing but a speedy recovery.
