On March 4, TMZ published photos of Kate Middleton in a car with her mother, Carole Middleton, at 9 AM. This was the first time the public had seen her since Christmas Day, as she had undergone abdominal surgery and was discharged on Jan 29. However, with conflicting reports, speculative whispers, and a flurry of online chatter, Middleton’s brief disappearance from the public eye became a subject of intense fascination.
The TMZ pictures, taken seemingly with a long lens, sparked immediate speculation about her health and whereabouts. For weeks, royal watchers and social media users alike dissected every detail, fueling a whirlwind of conspiracy theories.
Senior Sana Narisu has been closely following the issue on social media, and found the intersection of online discourse about Middleton and other trending topics interesting.
Narisu said, “There’s been a lot of trending hot topics recently, and Kate Middleton’s supposed ‘disappearance’ was one of them.”
Middleton’s last public appearance had been during the Christmas festivities in Norfolk, England, alongside her husband Prince William and their children. Her sudden absence from the public eye only added fuel to the speculative fire. As rumors gained traction, with one Spanish journalist even suggesting she was in a medically induced coma according to Newsweek, Kensington Palace only offered sparse updates on her condition. Privacy laws in Britain and Europe are stricter than those in the United States, adding another layer of complexity to the situation.
Although the palace is putting in their best efforts to protect Middleton’s privacy, that does not stop the public from being curious of her condition. After the criticism she received for posting her post-delivery photos online, it seems that she has decided to take a step back from sharing more personal information that has occurred recently. Despite this, Middleton still garners backlash for her medical leave.
The Princess of Wales was admitted to the London clinic on Jan 16 for treatment of an undisclosed, non-cancerous condition and was soon discharged on Jan 29. The Kensington Palace reported that her surgery was successful, but her condition is not well enough “to return to public duties until after Easter.” However, fans noted that the Ministry of Defense’s website included details about this year’s Trooping the Colour, indicating Middleton’s involvement in the event scheduled for June 8, 2024.
Trooping the Colour is a military parade that honors the reigning monarch, King Charles III, an event where all members of the royal family are expected to attend, so it was easy for many to assume that Middleton would be there for the event; however, the Army has removed their claim that she would be attending the parade, confusing the public whether she would be able to attend or not. The Army originally did not seek approval from the palace before publishing the page, so there is yet a guaranteed appearance of the princess for this event.
The vague responses from the palace leaves many questions unanswered from everyone curious about her condition, but there are some people who understand where the boundary lies between the royal family and the public. Senior Arjun Nair has been seeing news of Middleton all over social media as well as other celebrity news that may have crossed the line of privacy.
“It definitely is concerning because matters like one’s health shouldn’t be public information nor made up as a joke,” said Nair, “People online usually treat it as a free for all since they are public figures and common sentiment is that all facets of their lives are up for public display once they take on a public position.”
