On March 22, Kate Middleton rocked the world with the news that she had cancer and was stepping out of the limelight while she sought treatment. The video of her sitting on a bench and explaining her medical diagnosis came weeks after social media went into a frenzy looking for her. She had taken some time off after abdominal surgery earlier in the year, but the palace’s vague statement set the rumor mill ablaze.
Even though the Princess of Wales has given everyone the information they needed to let her heal in privacy, social media has started a second wave of gossip, questioning where she is and why she hasn’t been seen in public. It seems that her March words weren’t enough for some royal conspiracy theorists: “We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space, and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy, and I look forward to being back when I am able—but for now, I must focus on making a full recovery.”
The trending list of topics on X has continually shown the hashtag, “#WhereIsKate,” for the last week because people seem to think she should be giving photo updates of her recovery. Even worse, other social media users are speculating that something more sinister has happened to her. Haven’t we done this already? Didn’t we learn our lesson? It’s fair to question why some royals haven’t stepped up to do more public engagements in the wake of Kate and King Charles III’s health crises, but the pretty horrific rumors circulating don’t help the situation.
“Despite numerous reports of Kate returning to royal duties within the next few months, sources close to her say that her come back could take ‘many years.’ Close friends of Kate admit they have ‘lost contact’ with her,” one X user wrote on May 6 without any links confirming the information. That tweet garnered 672 shares and 909 likes… it’s a freight train that doesn’t want to stop. It also didn’t help that Queen Camilla was spotted hanging out with Rose Hanbury this week, only stepping up the completely unverified story about her affair with Prince William even more.
While the internet has been messy, the royal family’s PR has been equally disastrous throughout this major palace setback. Kate deserves the space to heal away from the public eye, and it would help if the royal family continued to shield her by communicating that message. The palace hasn’t done a great job of protecting women in the past, and they don’t seem to be doing enough with Kate in her time of need.
Before you go, click here to see our favorite Kate Middleton mommy moments!
