Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, has kept away from the public eye in recent weeks as she recovers from abdominal surgery. Recently, curiosity about her recovery has morphed into speculation that the Princess is actually missing.
The royal family has been undergoing quite a difficult time since Middleton’s surgery in January, followed by the announcement that King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer. Both royal family members have stepped away from public duties as the King undergoes treatment and Middleton recovers from surgery. However, the family has opted to keep details of Middleton’s condition private. While many were taken by surprise by her hospitalization on January 16, Kensington Palace released a statement confirming that abdominal surgery was a “planned” operation. The statement revealed the surgery was successful and that she would be released from the hospital in 10–14 days to continue her recovery at home.
The reason for the surgery has not been revealed, though it has been confirmed that her condition was not cancerous. On January 29, the palace released another statement revealing Middleton had returned home and was recovering well. Since then, updates on the Princes of Wales have dwindled, although her husband, Prince William, has explained her absence at events such as the BAFTAs and confirmed she is still in recovery. However, some netizens have begun to grow impatient for information on Middleton, especially after Prince William missed a memorial service for his godfather due to a mysterious “personal matter.”
Where is Kate Middleton?
Internet users have begun to grow concerned about Middleton’s absence from the public eye. It is believed the last time she was spotted publicly was on Christmas Day, 2023. On Christmas, she was photographed walking to a church service with her husband and children. Two months later, many are starting to wonder where the Princess is. The simple explanation is that she is merely recovering from surgery and dealing with health matters privately. However, some have started to question if there’s more to her absence.
Speculation picked up after several now-deleted Tweets from Rachel Hawkins, a prolific author known for her royal-themed books, began to question the matter. She indicated that, based on the research she did for her book, Middleton’s situation is “very, very weird. Unprecedented, even.” Hawkins also questioned why the Princess hasn’t even issued a standard personal statement to express gratitude for well wishes. Every update or statement on her condition has either come from the palace or Prince William. Meanwhile, Prince William’s absence from the memorial service has also received scrutiny as experts call it “concerning” and “unexpected.”
It is worth noting that Kensington Palace’s initial statement explicitly stated Middleton would likely be canceling any public engagements until Easter. Still, many have begun to classify Middleton as missing and expressed concern that she reportedly hasn’t been seen in two months. Conspiracy theories have been swirling since the onset of Middleton’s recovery, with one journalist suggesting the Princess’s condition was worse than reported and that she was in a medically induced coma. The palace quickly debunked the rumor, but such speculations are gaining traction as social media users claim there’s something unusual about this long period of privacy for such a high-profile individual.
However, much of the concern and speculation has morphed into jokes on the internet. Many social media users have taken to posting the most outlandish theories they can think of to describe where she might be. Among the most absurd theories are that her disappearance is linked to the failed Willy’s Chocolate Experience in Glasgow or that she is at a 97-year-old NYC diner that serves old-fashioned Coke.
Ultimately, it appears a handful of people genuinely believe that Middleton’s absence is odd. However, the vast majority believe that she’s simply recovering from surgery, which is why they’re able to joke about the Princess working as The Unknown at Willy’s Chocolate Experience and hiding out in a 97-year-old diner drinking Coca-Cola. The royal family has struggled for years with scrutiny from the press, so it’s understandable that respecting Middleton’s privacy would be surprising to some. It’s actually quite sad that some find it more believable that she’s missing than that the paparazzi are allowing her to recover in privacy.
(featured image: Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty)
