After months of speculation regarding Kate Middleton‘s health, a photo of the Princess of Wales and her three children was released to celebrate Mother’s Day in the U.K. However, the image appeared to cause more drama than quell the fears of royal watchers. One royal writer claims this “Katespiracy” is getting “weirder” and “more unhinged” before it gets “better.”
Reaction to Kate Middleton photo likely isn’t going as the palace has planned
On March 10, 2024, a photo of Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis was released to celebrate Mother’s Day in the United Kingdom. This is the first palace-approved photograph of Kate since her January abdominal surgery.
However, royal commentator Daniela Elser of News.com.au believes the reaction to the photo isn’t generating the anticipated result. She thinks it has to do with behind-the-scenes mistakes falling on the shoulders of Kensington Palace.
“This would all be amusing if it wasn’t so damaging and embarrassing,” Elser writes. “The image meant to allay fears and tamp down the hysteria is ‘manipulated.’ Thus pouring kerosene on the already burning Kate conflagration.”
She continues, “Things are only going to get worse and weirder and more unhinged before they get better. A situation for which the palace bears responsibility. In just over 12 hours, they haven’t managed to contain and handle the Katespiracy; but to make it infinitely more loopy and worse.”
Royal writer: Kate Middleton health drama proves things are ‘out of control’ within palace
As Kate Middleton remained out of sight during her recovery, interest in her whereabouts and health reached a fever pitch. A photo meant to quiet down the furor appeared to have the opposite effect.
“Things seem so out of control. A few hours from now, I’ll probably be back here writing about how Kate is set to join Lauren Sanchez’s space mission,” wrote Daniela Elser. “Or the Great British Bake Off has mistakenly announced that the Princess of Wales is joining the cast. Or Kensington Palace erroneously publishing the full contents of her gratitude journal.”
Elser wrote that she believes the “well-oiled, well-run, shipshape Wales outfit of yore has somehow run aground.” In its place is a “new normal” of “near-daily flubs.”
She believes there is a time and place for error. But as interest in Kate Middleton’s health peaks, this isn’t it. Elser says this flub would be “amusing: if it weren’t so “damaging and embarrassing.”
Why is Kensington Palace unable to handle Kate Middleton’s health issues?
Since Kate Middleton’s hospitalization, Kensington Palace has kept quiet regarding her health issues. They shared scant details regarding her abdominal surgery and other than a follow-up saying she was well.
Daniela Elser believes that from a PR standpoint, the palace has “managed to bungle” the events surrounding the Princess of Wales. From a surgery shock to conspiracy theories, Kate’s health issues took center stage for royal watchers.
“First, in January, they managed to shock the world by announcing that Kate was undergoing mysterious abdominal surgery. Something so serious that it would require two weeks in hospital and a recovery longer than some round-the-world cruises,” she wrote.
“In late February, fruit loopy, unhinged-edness took over much of social media, making spurious claims about the princess’s whereabouts and condition,” Elser continued. “The palace handled this doing exactly nothing.”
Kate Middleton continues to recover at home with Prince William and her three children by her side.
