Kate Middleton has now been MIA for weeks, and the rumor mill has responded in kind. So
what are people claiming might have happened to the Princess of Wales?
A certain swath of royal fans believe that Kate Middleton is,
or was, in a coma. This theory stems from a Spanish journalist named Concha Calleja,
who recently alleged that Middleton's medical team put her in a medically induced coma to save
her life. On Spain's Fiesta news program, Calleja said she'd conversed with a royal
aide who claimed that Middleton "was in great danger." The aide allegedly added:
"The decision was to put her in an induced coma. [...] There were serious complications that they
didn't expect because the operation went well, but the postoperative period didn't go so well."
"This just fuels the fire. There's so many conspiracy
theories doing the rounds on social media."
And while the Palace denounced Calleja's claims,
many on social media have bought into the theory. One user posted on X, formerly Twitter:
"Sounds like an embolism or some accident with the anesthetic,
may have caused a stroke which explains 9mos recuperation and around the clock nursing care."
Another wrote:
"It's quite possible that she had some sort of reaction coming out of
anesthesia [...] & had to be intubated. But for *THIS* long? Something is definitely wrong."
Meanwhile, another fan proposed an even sadder theory:
"So is she on life support then?? Whatever is wrong with her, it's bad. If she COULD be seen,
she WOULD be seen, because that would immediately end all the speculation."
Some royal fans are wholly convinced that Kensington Palace's announcement
about Kate Middleton's surgery was the royal family's way of covering
up a mental health break. One X user tweeted:
"I personally feel like Kate Middleton has had a mental breakdown and the Royals have her locked
away somewhere. That or she's simply had enough of that family and they're threatening her."
Another royal watcher wrote:
"Is it bad [I] feel sorry for Kate Middleton [...] it's so
sad she might be having a mental breakdown."
Of course, a person's mental health struggles are their private business unless they choose
to share the information. And even then, people — even public figures — are allowed
to be judicious in how much they share with the world. That said,
speculation inevitably runs rampant about the royals, and the topic of mental health in the
family has been on the agenda ever since Meghan Markle's revelations back in 2021.
"I just didn't want to be alive anymore."
Notably, however, there is absolutely no proof to support these claims,
and for now they amount to nothing more than baseless rumors.
This next theory drags none other than King Charles III into the mix. Some fans
think that both Kate Middleton and Charles are being deceptive about their medical
ailments. Instead of the official reports, they believe that Middleton has secretly
donated Charles a kidney — not just as a selfless, devoted daughter-in-law,
but to secure her place as future queen. One royal watcher tweeted:
"I'm thoroughly enjoying all the Kate Middleton conspiracy theories. I have
no interest in the royals but the story about her recovering from
donating a kidney to Charles in exchange for becoming queen one day is sending me."
Now, there are a few problems with this one. Charles is currently being treated
for an unspecified form of cancer; even if he did require a kidney transplant,
and Middleton happened to be a match, that story wouldn't spark any less coverage than
what's already out there. This selfless act would help smooth over the royal family's recent image
problem too, so it doesn't really make sense to go through the trouble of covering it up.
Plus, according to the current laws of succession,
Middleton is already guaranteed her spot as future queen as long as nothing untimely
happens to her or her husband. Giving a kidney out of love would be an admirable gesture,
but to secure a spot she already earned through marriage? That just doesn't make sense.
"If you leave a vacuum and you don't say what's going on,
then a whole load of nonsense comes in and fills that vacuum."
Many fans are convinced that Kate Middleton stepped back from royal
duties as part of a highly calculated scheme to cover up and distract from
her secret divorce from Prince William. As one X user tweeted:
"After extensive web research whilst doing laundry, I am now convinced Kate
Middleton is either negotiating the largest divorce settlement the BRF has ever paid out,
is recovering from a mental health crisis, or is dead."
Meanwhile, another fan suggested:
"It's not normal at all and William showing up to the BAFTAs alone was a terrible look,
but I guess they want to get the public used to
seeing him without Kate. That marriage is so over. They're phasing Kate out."
Fans are so eagerly running with the divorce theory because of the rampant rumors of marital
discontent that have floated about the couple in recent years. In 2023, Omid Scobie's controversial
book Endgame alleged that the royal family was trying hard to minimize press inquiries
into Prince William's alleged affair with a family friend. That included having Christian Jones, his
press secretary, intervene when British tabloid The Sun looked into the rumors. Scobie wrote:
"Christian was so desperate to stop [the rumor] and made it his mission to do so."
The most disturbing theory concerning Kate Middleton's disappearance from the public
is the suggestion that she's secretly passed away. One royal watcher tweeted:
"I don't mean to be a s--- stirrer, but is Kate Middleton even alive? There are
no credible pictures since Christmas, someone was taken away by ambulance on 12/28, and there
are vague stories about hospitals and surgeries, but where the F is she? What are they hiding?"
Another user responded:
"Who knows, the British press have a blackout on even mentioning her. My feelings are something
went horribly wrong with whatever surgery she had and it's either going to be a long recovery,
or she's in a coma and in two months they're going to announce her death."
Again, there's absolutely no evidence to support the theory that Middleton has died. It's worth
remembering that the royal family has a protocol in place concerning the deaths of senior royals,
and a months-long coverup probably isn't part of that protocol. Unfortunately,
that hasn't stopped royal watchers from considering the possibility,
as theories about Middleton's well-being continue to spread online.