*Originally published on March 19, 2024
Updated on March 22, 2024, at 12:06 p.m. (MT):
"Where is Kate Middleton?" It was a question that plagued the internet for over a month. There were countless conspiracy theories and speculations about the Princess's whereabouts, but as of March 22, the Princess herself has answered everyone's question.
Kate Middleton announced she has cancer in a moving Instagram post on Friday.
Her announcement comes as a shock to many, myself included.
Prior to Kate's announcement, I broke down the timeline of events and conspiracy theories (as seen below) surrounding her supposed disappearance, not understanding the true reasoning behind her absence.
*Disclaimer: this is all purely speculation, and the thoughts shared below are based on personal observations and interpretations of different theories.
Timeline of Events, Conspiracy Theories:
December 25, 2023: Kate Middleton's Last Royal Engagement
Christmas Day ended up being the last day the public would see the Princess. Kate Middleton attended the Royal Family's annual church service at Sandringham and was seen with Prince William and her children. It all seemed perfectly normal.
January 17, 2024: Kate Middleton's Abdominal Surgery Announced By Kensington Palace
Then, just a few weeks later, Kensington Palace announced that Kate was in the hospital for "abdominal surgery." The statement said: "The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate. She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normalcy for her children as possible."
January 17, 2024: King Charles' Treatment Announced By Buckingham Palace
A few hours after announcing Kate's surgery, Buckingham Palace announced more news to come from the Royal Family: King Charles was seeking treatment for an enlarged prostate.
January 29, 2024: Kate Middleton Returns Home From the Hospital
On this day, Kate Middleton returned home from the London clinic; however, there are no photographs of her leaving. This was stated to be for privacy reasons.
February 5, 2024: King Charles Announces Cancer Diagnosis
King Charles revealed his cancer diagnosis just a week later. In a statement from Buckingham Palace, "He remains wholly positive about the treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible ... His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer."
February 27, 2024: Prince William Does Not Attend Memorial Service for Godfather
Prince William then announced he could no longer attend the memorial service for King Constantine of Greece, his godfather. He cited "personal reasons." This is where the conspiracy theories and speculation started to gain some traction, as CNN reported that there was seemingly no connection between William's cancelation and Kate's health. Various social media posts, memes, and more took over social media, all asking, "Where's Kate Middleton?"
February 29, 2024: Kensington Palace Reiterates Original Statement Regarding Kate Middleton
Then, after 48 hours of craziness and social media speculation, Kensington Palace remains steadfast in its original statement regarding Kate Middleton's health. "We were very clear from the outset that the Princess of Wales was out until after Easter and Kensington Palace would only be providing updates when something was significant."
March 4, 2024: Paparazzi Photograph Kate Middle in Car With Her Mother
TMZ then posts grainy and blurry paparazzi photos of Kate Middleton and her mother driving around Windsor Castle. However, the British press never shared the images, in an effort to maintain Kate's privacy. People far and wide have dissected the grainy image, noting that some things don't match up. Others speculate it's Kate's sister, Pippa, instead.
@jessweslie #greenscreen #katemiddleton #princessofwales #princewilliam #royalfamily #royaltea #theroyals #fyp ♬ original sound - Jessica Weslie Arena
March 10, 2024: The Infamous Mother's Day Photo Is Posted
Ah, the photo. This photo single-handedly fueled the flames of conspiracy theories all across the internet (and was my first taste of the sheer craziness of all this.) In honor of Mother's Day in the U.K., Prince William and Kate Middleton posted a photograph of Kate and her three children to their social media accounts. According to the Palace, it was taken by William the week before in Windsor.
March 10, 2024: The Associated Press Issues "Kill Order" for the Photo
However, that same day, the Associated Press issued a "kill order" for the photo, saying, "At closer inspection, it appears that the source has manipulated the image. No replacement photo will be sent." The photo had been altered, from the sleeve of Princess Charlotte's sweater not matching up with her hand to Kate's jacket zipper not being aligned, to blurry hands, and so much more. Many TikTokers are also pointing out that Kate's face looks to be pulled from a Vogue cover back in 2016; everything lines up. People are also saying that the children and Kate are wearing the same outfits as they did back in November 2023. But remember, the photo was supposedly taken the week before.
@shotandforgot What are your thoughts on on this? #katemiddleton #royalfamily #photography #photoshop #art #mystery ♬ original sound - Shot & Forgot
March 11, 2024: Kate Middleton Issues Apology on Social Media
A day later, on the family's official social media accounts, an apology was issued, seemingly from Kate. The apology read, "Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C." But there was no going back at this point; the damage had been done.
March 11, 2024: Paparazzi Photograph Kate Middleton in Car With Prince William
That same day, images obtained by the Daily Mail showed the royal couple driving from Windsor Castle, but Kate turned away from the cameras. Various conspiracy theorists went on to point out that the bricks appeared to be different colors, the lighting didn't add up, and some even went so far as to say the image was photoshopped with an older image of Kate to make it appear as if she was in the car.
March 18, 2024: Paparazzi Photograph Kate Middleton at Farm Shop With Prince William
The Sun then claimed Kate Middleton and Prince William were spotted in Windsor at a farm shop, and then TMZ published a video of the shopping trip. The couple is seen walking with bags in hand, and Kate Middleton appears smiling. Internet sleuths and conspiracy theorists, however, don't believe this is actually Kate. Some are speculating it's a famous body double named Heidi Agan.
@erinraii The TMZ video of Kate Middleton has me up past my bedtime. Maybe it's not #katemiddleton OR #princewilliam ???? The walk, the height, and no other evidence is sus. I have watched so many videos of Kate Middleton walking and in the TMZ video it is not her walk. #greenscreen #royalfamily ♬ original sound - Erin
March 19, 2024: Getty Images Flags Second Royal Family Image as "Digitally Enhanced at Source"
Getty Images has noted that a second image—which was taken in August 2022 and shared by Buckingham Palace on April 21, 2023, featuring the late Queen Elizabeth II and her grandchildren—has been "digitally enhanced at source." In a statement, a Getty spokesperson said, "Getty Images has reviewed the image in question and placed an editor's note on it, stating that the image has been digitally enhanced at source." Some of the "enhancements," as noted by The Guardian, include a vertical line on the Queen's skirt not matching, a dark shadow behind Prince Louis' ear, and a small black patch behind Prince George's shirt collar.
March 22, 2024: Kate Middleton Announces Cancer Diagnosis
As stated above, Kate took to social media to share with the world an update on her health. The Princess revealed she has cancer and is undergoing "preventive chemotherapy. "
