Kate Middleton Conspiracies Swirl: PEOPLE's Royals Expert of 27 Years Shares What He Knows

Mar. 15, 2025

Kate Middleton visits a children’s hospital in London on Dec. 5, 2023.Photo:IAN VOGLER/POOL/AFP via Getty

IAN VOGLER/POOL/AFP via Getty

As PEOPLE’s Chief Foreign Correspondent, I have covered the royal family for more than two decades. Throughout this time, I have witnessed numerous moments of joy, such as weddings and the births of children forPrince WilliamandKate Middleton, as well asPrince HarryandMeghan Markle. There have also been moments of sadness and change, particularly followingQueen Elizabeth’sdeath. Additionally, theschism between Prince Harry and his brother Williamhas introduced further turmoil and sadness. Each of these historical moments has brought its own share of drama.

But, today, the royal narrative feels unprecedented. I cannot recall a time when a series of unrelated events have simultaneously troubled more than one member of the royal family, culminating in such an unsettling period.

Thephoto and video of the couple running errandsat the Windsor Farm Shop over the weekend serves as a prime example. No, it wasn’t fabricated or featuring a body double (the photo would surely have been better if that were the case!). And yes, it was indeed Kate. Did their handlers mind that they’d been spotted looking happy as they ran their errands? I suspect not.

Prince William and Kate Middleton attend a ceremonial welcome for the President and First Lady of the Republic of Korea on Nov. 21, 2023.Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images

Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images

Just six days earlier,Kate was photographed in the back of a car with Williamas they traveled to London. He was headed to the Commonwealth Day service while she was heading to a private appointment. Some suggest that it was a deliberate tip-off to the photographers (presumably aimed at dispelling rumors) and that the photo had been doctored. However, thesnapper was unaware of her presence in the caruntil reviewing the image on his camera, making it very unlikely that he was asked to take the shot. And he didn’t alter it.

Part of the problem is that we have seenKing Charles, 75, regularly conducting audiences amid his cancer diagnosis. The public has seen him meeting the Prime Minister and even entering and exiting the hospital, but Kate was not photographed for weeks during her recovery.

King Charles welcomes Commonwealth Secretary General, Baroness Scotland of Asthal Patricia Scotland for an audience at Buckingham Palace on March 13, 2024.YUI MOK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

YUI MOK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

As weoutlined in our recent cover story, these are unnerving times for those who look to the royals as bastions of calm, security and reliability amidst perceived political turmoil. (This year, nearly a third of the world, spanning 50 countries, will hold elections— even British embassies in Moscow and Ukraine found themselves compelled to refute a Russian report that Charles had died.) Indeed, the royals see themselves as unifying, apolitical figures, positioned above and detached from the dogmatic fray. That has changed with the intensity of the social media tit-for-tat over Kate, and the ambiguity surrounding Charles' health. They have become the central focus of these discussions, and matters have spiraled out of control more rapidly than I have previously witnessed.

Kate Middleton and Prince William with children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis on Dec. 25, 2023.Samir Hussein/WireImage

Samir Hussein/WireImage

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WhenPrince Louiscelebrates his sixth birthday on April 23, Kate and William will face a major decision. Make no mistake, like many outlets, we have enjoyed and praised Kate for her tradition of taking charming photos of her children. Next month, will they take the photo themselves or entrust it to a professional? Whatever they decide, it will undoubtedly be the most scrutinized royal image yet — since the last one!

source: people.com