Kate Middleton Conspiracy Theories Are a Reminder She Can’t Do What Meghan Markle Did — Commentator
The Kate Middleton conspiracies — ahem, Katespiracies — highlight what she “can’t do.” According to a commentator, the Princess of Wales can’t speak out like Meghan Markle once did about the mental toll of rampant speculation online.
Kate ‘can’t’ and ‘won’t’ voice any potential mental health struggles publicly
“My advice to people on social media would be to treat Kate as you would want to be treated yourself,” Jack Royston, a royal commentator, said on Royal Report (via Newsweek).
“She may well be having a pretty horrible time currently. And not just because of the backlash to the photo,” he continued, referencing the picture of Kate and her three children marking Mother’s Day in the U.K. she later admitted to editing.
Kate’s been at home recovering from abdominal surgery since January 2024.
“Remember, no one publicly, or in the media, knew how much Meghan was struggling until she went on Oprah and told everyone,” the podcast host said.
In the March 2021 interview, Meghan, now 42, revealed scrutiny online and in the media impacted her mental health. So much so, at one point during her pregnancy with Prince Archie, 4, she “didn’t want to be alive anymore.”
If the speculation and conspiracy theories are impacting Kate’s mental health, Royston explained, talking about it publicly isn’t an option. “You know, Kate obviously can’t do that, and no doubt won’t do that,” he said.
“But if she could do that,” he continued, “what would she say about all these social media trends and the conspiracy theories about her, including some of the more extreme ones? I don’t think she would have anything particularly positive to say about them.”
The public would likely ‘rally around’ a potentially ‘struggling’ Kate
Elsewhere, Royston said if Kate’s “struggling” mentally as conspiracy theories rage on, she’d likely get the public’s support.
“If Kate is struggling, I think people would be extremely sympathetic towards [sic] her,” he said. “She’s loved in Britain, she’s loved in America. And, you know, with some kind of explanation, the public would only rally around her.”
“But the problem, I think, is that the noises from the palace have been very much along the lines that ‘everything is fine.’”
“And that just doesn’t really add up against their failed attempt to get a reliable photo out. And their inability to replace it with something more reliable.”
Kate Middleton’s return to royal duties hasn’t been announced
At the time of writing, Kensington Palace has yet to formally announce Kate’s return to royal duties. Previously, Trooping the Colour, the annual birthday parade for the sovereign, was, if only for a day or two, thought to mark Kate’s first official appearance since the surgery.
Amid public interest in Kate’s health and conjecture circulating online, there have been calls for her to step out at Easter or even sooner.
Although it’s important to note Kensington Palace shared in their initial announcement about Kate’s surgery she’s likely not returning to duties until sometime after the holiday. (Easter falls on March 31, 2024.)
Reports now put Kate heading back to work after Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis return to school after Easter break.
How to get help: In the U.S., call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 or 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741-741 to speak with a trained crisis counselor at the free Crisis Text Line.
