A former palace aide has described the recent conspiracy theories surrounding the Princess of Wales as the 'curse of being a modern royal'. The comments come after Kate Middleton, 42, revealed in an emotional video that she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy following the discovery of cancer after major abdominal surgery earlier this year.
The announcement followed weeks of intense speculation on social media platforms such as X, Instagram, and TikTok, where users shared mocking posts and memes about her whereabouts. The former aide told PEOPLE that the level of interest in Kate's health was a 'complex reaction', adding: 'There was no malintent. But it unleashed a pent-up feeling that people wanted information — unfortunately, that’s the curse of being a modern royal.'
High-profile figures including left-wing journalist Owen Jones and actress Blake Lively have issued apologies for their ill-judged remarks. Jones, who had previously posted about being 'fully on board the Kate Middleton truther train', later expressed shame for speculating without considering a serious health condition. Lively, who shared an edited photo of herself during the 'photoshop fails' frenzy, said she felt 'mortified' and sent love and well wishes.
Many social media users and TikTok influencers also apologised for participating in conspiracy theories, while others deleted evidence of their posts. Critics called on Kim Kardashian to apologise after she shared a photo with the caption 'On my way to go find Kate'. Queen Camilla revealed during a walkabout in Shrewsbury that Kate is 'thrilled' by the public's support.
