Kate Middleton’s ‘Tough Time’ Amid ‘Unhealthy’ Speculation on Her Return: Commentator
Since Kate Middleton underwent abdominal surgery in January, speculation has reached a fever pitch regarding her health. However, as the Princess of Wales completes a course of cancer treatment, is continued guesswork regarding her return “unhealthy” amid her “tough time”? A commentator shares their thoughts.
Kate Middleton should be allowed to recover peacefully
Since marrying Prince William in 2011, Kate Middleton has flown under the controversy radar. She’s toed the royal line amid several events that put her in the public spotlight. These included reported clashes with sister-in-law Meghan Markle, alleged racist remarks, and a photo editing mishap that shone a light on the Princess of Wales.
Graham Smith, CEO of the anti-monarchy group Republic, spoke about Kate’s health for the podcast The Royal Record. Smith says Kate should be given time to fully recover without public speculation over her health hitting a fever pitch.
Smith says, “I think that she is on the public payroll. There’s an expectation that she does something in return for the lavish lifestyle. So knowing that she has cancer and, therefore, that is why she is not around, is fair enough.”
“But I just think that whole need to get into the private lives of these people is unhealthy,” he assesses. “I think a lot of the speculation was just bordering on slightly bizarre. There’s also been a whole load of slightly more fawning conversation and speculation about her, putting [her] on this pedestal.”
Smith concludes, “She is just a regular person going through a tough time. She should be left to get on with it with her family. And it doesn’t need any more than that.”
Kate Middleton went on record regarding her cancer diagnosis in March 2024
On March 22, 2024, Kate Middleton released an Instagram video where she tried to put to rest speculation surrounding her health. She revealed she was battling cancer.
Kate thanked the public for their messages of care and concern during her recovery from abdominal surgery in January 2024. She said it had been “an incredibly tough couple of months” for her family in a clip shared with Instagram.
“In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London, and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful,” she explained.
“However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team, therefore, advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.”
Furthermore, the Princess of Wales discussed how she and William needed time to process her diagnosis and share the news with their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, in an appropriate manner.
“We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space, and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy, and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now, I must focus on making a full recovery,” the princess concluded.
Kate Middleton follows Queen Elizabeth’s lead
Thus far, Kate Middleton has followed the standards set by the late Queen Elizabeth, even as she faces cancer and recovery treatment. The monarch was famous for remaining stoic in the face of adversity.
However, Kate is very different from her more traditional predecessor despite her adherence to royal rules. In 2023, Royal author Christopher Anderson told Fox News, “People don’t give Kate enough credit for being a genuine original.”
“Don’t forget, all those women were born to the purple,” the author explained. “Diana was a Spencer, which meant she came from a long line of powerful and wealthy aristocrats. Camilla is the granddaughter of a baron. And from age 10, Elizabeth knew that she would someday be queen.”
“Kate, however, is a descendant of coal miners. Her mother grew up in public housing and worked as a flight attendant. Not only will she be the first truly commoner queen, but she will be the first queen with a university degree.”
Anderson believes Queen Elizabeth saw something in special in Kate. “Queen Elizabeth was impressed with how Kate never allowed anything to get to her. Kate maintained a quiet, almost regal sense of dignity – the sort of ‘keep calm and carry on’ attitude that the monarch herself so famously embraced. After deftly navigating the treacherous waters of the royal court for over a decade, Kate proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would be a huge asset to the monarchy.”
Kate Middleton continues to recover from cancer. She will reportedly return to public duties sometime later this year.
