Getty
Over the past few months, Kate Middleton has found herself at the centre of increasingly loud online chatter. The topic in question? Her whereabouts.
Fortunately, a new video of the princess, obtained by TMZ, can officially put the conspiracy theories to bed.
In the video, Kate Middleton is seen in athletic wear, shopping with her husband, Prince William at the Windsor Farm Shop, which is located just over a mile from their home.
Onlookers described the couple as looking “happy, relaxed and healthy,” which is good news considering Kate’s recent surgery.
For those who haven’t been keeping up with the recent Kate Middleton conspiracy, we explain the situation below.
What Is The Kate Middleton Conspiracy Theory?
It all started in January, when Kensington Palace announced the princess would temporarily withdraw from public life for “planned abdominal surgery.” As part of this announcement, the Palace said that they would only provide updates on Kate’s condition if they were significant – a promise they have stayed true to. While this strategy was likely an effort to allow the princess to recover in private, the result of this silence has had the opposite effect, sending the internet into a spiral of rumours.
These conspiracy theories reached fever pitch last week when a poorly edited photo was released by the palace in commemoration of Mother’s Day in the UK. The image was even recalled by several major news agencies, with Associate Press stating: It appears that the source [Kensington Palace] has manipulated the image in a way that did not meet AP’s photo standards.”
As a result, the Palace released an apology on Kate’s behalf, where she admitted that she had doctored the photo herself.
“Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing,” she said.
“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”
What Did Princess Diana’s Brother, Early Charles Spencer, Say About The Kate Middleton Situation?
Of course, this bizarre turn of events only spurred on the rumour mill, even prompted Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Charles Spencer to express his concern.
In a new interview with BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he commented on the rumours by stating, “I do worry about what happened to the truth.”
But he wasn’t the only one who wondered about the truth—below, all the Kate Middleton conspiracy theories from the plausible to the downright absurd.
Conspiracy Theory 1: Prince William Is Having An Affair With Rose Hanbury
One of the most prominent rumours to emerge online alleges that Prince William was having an affair with Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley.
It’s not the first time these rumours have circulated, however they were recently brough back to public attention after Stephen Colbert discussed them on The Late Show in the US.
“The Kingdom has been all a flutter about the seeming disappearance of Kate Middleton,” he said. “Well now, internet sleuths are guessing that Kate’s absence may be related to her husband, and the future King of England, William, having an affair.”
“I think we all know who the alleged other woman is, say it with me: the Marchioness of Cholmondeley. What a beautiful name that I’m being told right now I pronounced incorrectly.”
While these rumours were entirely unconfirmed, internet sleuths believed Kate not wearing her wedding ring in the Mother’s Day photo was strong evidence that her marriage to Prince William is in trouble, and Rose Hanbury is to blame.
Conspiracy Theory 2: Kate Is Recovering From Plastic Surgery
Another theory dominating the internet is that Kate was recovering from plastic surgery. This rumour might be a little less plausible, but that hasn’t stopped X (formerly Twitter) running with it.
Of course, while this rumour is similarly unfounded, there’s nothing wrong with plastic surgery, and Kate should be afforded privacy to recover in private if she chooses.
Conspiracy Theory 3: Queen Camilla Is Plotting To Take Over The Crown
Perhaps the most far-fetched of them all is the conspiarcy theory that Queen Camilla is somehow plotting ot overturn the royal family, and take over the crown for herself. Central to this theory is the idea that Camilla could be behind Kate’s disappearance, as well as the deaths of Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to step away from royal duties.
