In case you haven’t been paying much attention to the media, let me catch you up to speed. Kate Middleton’s disappearance has been the subject of many conspiracies since December 2023 — some theories more plausible than others. Rumors about Middleton’s whereabouts quickly followed after Kensington Palace revealed that she was undergoing a planned abdominal surgery at the London Clinic in January 2024. However, on March 22, Middleton gave an unexpected health update, revealing in a video that she’s been diagnosed with cancer.
In the video, which was posted to X (formerly known as Twitter), Middleton shared, “In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London, and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful.”
Middleton clarified that while her condition was originally thought to be non-cancerous, tests conducted after the operation revealed that she has cancer. “My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventive chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.”
The type of cancer has not yet been disclosed.
Middleton went on to request privacy during this time. “This, of course, came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,” she said.
When Kensington Palace released a statement revealing that Middleton was undergoing a planned abdominal surgery at the London Clinic, few details were provided. But the Palace did share that Middleton would “remain in the hospital for 10 to 14 days, before returning home to continue her recovery.” The following day, Kensington Palace told PEOPLE that Middleton “was doing very well” following her surgery, but the internet was not convinced.
Middleton’s last public appearance was on Dec. 25, 2023, and it has since left the world wondering why she disappeared and whether or not her health was more dire than previously announced.
On Feb. 27, Prince William cited personal reasons for his inability to attend a memorial service for his godfather, King Constantine of Greece. People began to wonder if his inability to attend might be linked to possible divorce proceedings, although there was no official confirmation to support such theories.
The internet responded with a flurry of memes, with some users speculating that rumors of Kate and William’s divorce were the true reason behind her absence.
Shortly afterward, Kensington Palace released a short update about Middleton’s health to PEOPLE. “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,” the statement read.
Since Kate’s last public sighting, the gap in time only widened, fueling growing conspiracy theories. On March 4, Middleton shared a manipulated photo featuring herself and her three children, sparking a media frenzy (and a slew of memes).
Many questioned why an edited image was released to the public. Observers noted how Princess Charlotte’s left hand did not align with the sleeve of her sweater, and Middleton’s hands appeared disproportionately long.
Nearly two weeks later, a paparazzi video, courtesy of TMZ, surfaced showing Middleton and Prince William walking in Windsor. However, the released images were blurry, leading skeptics to believe that a body double had replaced Kate.
Middleton hasn’t yet confirmed her return to public duties, but it’s looking less likely that she’ll be back by Easter.
Wishing the Princess of Wales the best during this time.