Princess’s absence fuels speculation: ‘Everything that’s been happening is weird’
- Replies 73
The British Royal Family is no stranger to the public eye, but the recent two-month absence of Catherine, the Princess of Wales, has left royal watchers and the general public alike in a state of confusion and concern.
The princess, more commonly known as Kate Middleton, has been conspicuously absent from public life since a January announcement that she had undergone 'planned' abdominal surgery.
Meanwhile, the Palace's silence on the matter has only fuelled speculation and concern about the Duchess's health. The last time the public saw Kate was on Christmas Day last year when she attended a church service with her husband, Prince William, and their three children, George, Louis, and Charlotte.
It was revealed in early February that the princess was battling a health crisis, which led to her going on hiatus. It is believed her return date won’t be until after Easter.
But while the Duchess’s absence has been planned, it hasn’t stopped the public from getting worried about her wellbeing.
The situation is made even more complex by the fact that around the same time as Kate's surgery, her father-in-law, King Charles III, was diagnosed with cancer and began undergoing treatment.
This has led to Prince William taking on more official duties in his father's stead, but his wife's prolonged absence remained unexplained.
The Palace has been tight-lipped about the Duchess's condition, releasing only a brief statement to quell rising concerns.
'The Princess of Wales continues to be doing well,' the statement read. However, this has done little to satisfy the public's curiosity and concern about the Duchess's health.
Rachel Hawkins, an expert on royals, took to social media to express her confusion and concern over the situation. She stated that while she did not want to speculate, she also noted that the lack of information about Kate's wellbeing was 'unprecedented' and 'very, very weird'.
‘We’re at [two] months since anyone has seen her,’ Hawkins wrote.
‘We’re not even getting [the] “I appreciate the well-wishes” statements from her.’
Hawkins, also the author of books including Royals and Her Royal Highness, also mentioned that while Prince William has released statements ‘under his personal standard’, everything about Kate has been released under the ‘Prince and Princess of Wales banner’.
She also pointed out the stark contrast between the Palace's handling of Kate's health situation and that of King Charles III, who has issued several public statements thanking people for their support as he begins cancer treatment.
However, she said she didn’t think the princess’s silence was due to anything ‘nefarious’.
That said, Hawkins continues to believe that the lack of information supplied to the public was ‘mishandled’.
This situation has led to rampant speculation about Kate's condition. Some suggest that it must be a condition that requires careful management and privacy, hence the lack of public appearances or photographs.
In a previous statement made by the Royal Family, they revealed that Kate's surgery took place at The London Clinic in Marylebone and that it was for a 'non-cancerous' condition. However, no further details were given, and the Duchess's desire for privacy was reiterated.
'The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate,' the statement read.
'She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible and her wish that her personal medical information remains private.'
We send our well-wishes to the princess and her family during her recovery.
What do you think about this story, members? Let us know in the comments below.
The princess, more commonly known as Kate Middleton, has been conspicuously absent from public life since a January announcement that she had undergone 'planned' abdominal surgery.
Meanwhile, the Palace's silence on the matter has only fuelled speculation and concern about the Duchess's health. The last time the public saw Kate was on Christmas Day last year when she attended a church service with her husband, Prince William, and their three children, George, Louis, and Charlotte.
It was revealed in early February that the princess was battling a health crisis, which led to her going on hiatus. It is believed her return date won’t be until after Easter.
But while the Duchess’s absence has been planned, it hasn’t stopped the public from getting worried about her wellbeing.
The princess has been absent from public duties since January. Credit: Shutterstock
The situation is made even more complex by the fact that around the same time as Kate's surgery, her father-in-law, King Charles III, was diagnosed with cancer and began undergoing treatment.
This has led to Prince William taking on more official duties in his father's stead, but his wife's prolonged absence remained unexplained.
The Palace has been tight-lipped about the Duchess's condition, releasing only a brief statement to quell rising concerns.
'The Princess of Wales continues to be doing well,' the statement read. However, this has done little to satisfy the public's curiosity and concern about the Duchess's health.
Rachel Hawkins, an expert on royals, took to social media to express her confusion and concern over the situation. She stated that while she did not want to speculate, she also noted that the lack of information about Kate's wellbeing was 'unprecedented' and 'very, very weird'.
‘We’re at [two] months since anyone has seen her,’ Hawkins wrote.
‘We’re not even getting [the] “I appreciate the well-wishes” statements from her.’
Hawkins, also the author of books including Royals and Her Royal Highness, also mentioned that while Prince William has released statements ‘under his personal standard’, everything about Kate has been released under the ‘Prince and Princess of Wales banner’.
She also pointed out the stark contrast between the Palace's handling of Kate's health situation and that of King Charles III, who has issued several public statements thanking people for their support as he begins cancer treatment.
However, she said she didn’t think the princess’s silence was due to anything ‘nefarious’.
That said, Hawkins continues to believe that the lack of information supplied to the public was ‘mishandled’.
This situation has led to rampant speculation about Kate's condition. Some suggest that it must be a condition that requires careful management and privacy, hence the lack of public appearances or photographs.
In a previous statement made by the Royal Family, they revealed that Kate's surgery took place at The London Clinic in Marylebone and that it was for a 'non-cancerous' condition. However, no further details were given, and the Duchess's desire for privacy was reiterated.
'The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate,' the statement read.
'She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible and her wish that her personal medical information remains private.'
What do you think about this story, members? Let us know in the comments below.
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