The purported visuals of a seemingly “happy and relaxed” Kate Middleton and her husband Prince William on a grocery run, released by a UK tabloid, has only fanned the wild conspiracy theories doing the rounds for weeks now about the Princess of Wales’ health and whereabouts.
Recently, UK tabloids had pictures of the “missing” royal family member who was reportedly out on a shopping trip to Windsor Farm Shop, mere miles from their abode, splashed across their front pages. Several media reports triumphantly declared that the visuals have finally put an end to the rumours swirling around Kate Middleton’s absence.
The photos and video of Kate Middleton “spotted” at her favourite farm shop in Windsor over the weekend, her first public outing after an abdominal surgery in January, were posted by The Sun.
Also Read: Kate Middleton’s ‘fake’ photo ‘retracted’ over manipulation concerns – What we know so far
“Great to see (via @TheSun ) Kate laughing and joking with William on their shopping trip. She’s obviously recovering well. This should end a lot of the conspiracy theories,” remarked Piers Morgan, a renowned British broadcaster and royal confidant.
However, several social media users were not convinced and claimed that the cheerful figure laden with shopping bags in the snapshot looked ‘nothing’ like Kate. They flagged a number of issues and were convinced that the individual in question bore no resemblance to the Duchess of Cambridge, citing disparities in ear shape and cheekbone structure.
Some even questioned the recurrent emergence of grainy images and videos, captured by a seemingly innocuous bystander.
“All the technology today and that’s the best photo they can get, same as when people photograph a UFO or Bigfoot, im not buying it (sic),” quipped one user on X.
Another wrote, “If you live in Britain & know where this farm shop is in the video of the fake Kate Middleton & Prince William, please take pictures to show us if there are Christmas decorations still there asap!”
Others alleged something more sinister was afoot – that the woman snapped was not the real Kate Middleton, but a body double. A few also questioned whether the man beside her was actually Prince William. “I’m not entirely convinced that’s William either (the hair at the back of the cap is a giveaway),” posted one X user.
There were some who lost no time in poking fun at the royal mess that keeps getting messier and the damage control attempts that seem to be making matters worse.
Just a few weeks back, the first official photo of the Princess of Wales since her abdominal surgery two months ago was uploaded on the official account of Kensington Palace. The photograph shows the princess sitting down, surrounded by Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Prince George, the latter wrapping his arms around her.
Also Read: Kate Middleton says sorry for Mother’s Day family pic – ‘I occasionally experiment with editing’
However, soon major publications took down the photo over concerns that it was edited and manipulated. Catherine, Princess of Wales, later took responsibility and apologized for an edited official photograph.
Kate said she was sorry for “any confusion” caused by the image, after her “experiment” with photo editing caused scrutiny for Kensington Palace and increased confusion over Kate’s extended absence from the public eye.
What is KateGate?
The mystery surrounding Kate Middleton has grown from a niche royal watcher concern to an international punchline. Several unusual details – poor-quality photos, an altered image, vague medical information, irregular updates from the British royal family – have kept the public guessing. She has not been in public since her abdominal surgery.
As the palace intrigue deepens, a “major announcement” by the British royal family is also awaited.
