The Problem With Kate Middleton Conspiracy Theories

The recent royal dramas surrounding the Princess of Wales raise genuine points of public concern, but conspiracy theories can have a damaging impact, according to Newsweek's Royal Report podcast.

Since January, Kate has become the subject of increased conjecture, gossip and conspiracy theories as a result of her absence from the spotlight following abdominal surgery.

With Kensington Palace refusing to give a "running commentary" on the princess's health and recovery as she approaches an "after Easter" return to duties, an information vacuum has been filled with social media speculation ranging from the genuine to the outlandish and damaging.

All this was added to when Kate was forced to apologize for editing the first official photograph of herself since the surgery, which was released to mark the U.K.'s Mother's Day on March 10.

On X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, users speculated that the princess was "missing," critically ill or facing a personal crisis. Those posts spiked in the absence of any rebuttal from the palace or further photos, videos or public appearances from Kate.

Newsweek reached out to Kensington Palace via email for comment.

As the posts continue to circulate, Newsweek's chief royal correspondent, Jack Royston, discussed on The Royal Report the potential mental health impact this speculation could have, citing Meghan Markle as an important example.

"If Kate is struggling, I think people would be extremely sympathetic towards her," he said. "She's loved in Britain, she's loved in America, and, you know, with some kind of explanation the public would only rally around her.

"But the problem, I think, is that the noises from the palace have been very much along the lines that 'everything is fine,' and that just doesn't really add up against their failed attempt to get a reliable photo out and their inability to replace it with something more reliable."

Royston continued: "My advice to people on social media would be to treat Kate as you would want to be treated yourself. She may well be having a pretty horrible time currently, and not just because of the backlash to the photo."

He noted the mental health implications of the social media discourse about her absence from the public eye.

"Remember, no one publicly, or in the media, knew how much Meghan was struggling until she went on Oprah and told everyone," Royston said. "You know, Kate obviously can't do that and no doubt won't do that. But if she could do that, what would she say about all these social media trends and the conspiracy theories about her, including some of the more extreme ones? I don't think she would have anything particularly positive to say about them."

The Duchess of Sussex famously revealed during a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey the extent of the mental health pressures she faced from social media and the press as a working member of the royal family. She also described the desperation it made her feel.

Despite the problematic aspects of the conspiracy theories circulating about Kate, Royston acknowledged that there is a genuine public interest in people's desire to know how she is doing and the truth behind her surgery recovery.

He said that Kensington Palace now faces a challenge: to regain trust after it was revealed that the Mother's Day photograph had been digitally manipulated by Kate. Royston cited a recent statement by Agence France-Presse's global news director, in which he said AFP no longer considers the palace to be a "trusted source" of information after the photo scandal.

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

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