Kate Middleton has caught the unwelcome attention of conspiracy theorists who insist that the Princess of Wales never had cancer.
As you’re probably aware, Kate took a hiatus from public life in early 2024.
For several weeks, no explanation was given, and there were widespread rumors about the cause of her absence.
Eventually, Kate revealed that she had been battling cancer.
Thankfully, her treatment went according to plan, and in September, it was revealed that Kate had completed chemotherapy.
Now, however, conspiracy theorists have become convinced that Kate lied about her illness.
Kate Middleton’s Cancer Called Into Question
Over the weekend, Kate participated in traditional Remembrance Day events throughout the UK. Observers marveled at how healthy and energetic she appeared so soon after completing treatment.
However, those observations led to suspicion, and several social media users circulated a September article from Sky News journalist Rhiannon Mills.
“In March the princess confirmed that pre-cancerous cells had been found following abdominal surgery and that she would have to undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy,” Mills wrote.
As The Daily Beast points out, Mills is a member of the so-called royal rota, a collection of journalists who maintain amicable relationships with Buckingham Palace.
So her claims carry more weight than those of most other royal reporters.
The outlet also spoke with a doctor who confirmed that there’s a big difference between cancerous and pre-cancerous cells.
“You either have pre-cancerous cells or you have cancer, the two terms are not interchangeable,” said the physician.
Kate’s New Controversy
Not surprisingly, the situation has sparked controversy on social media.
According to Page Six, one X (formerly Twitter) user alleged that Kate “thought it appropriate to play the sympathy card when the popularity of the royal family is at an all-time low.”
“Pre-cancerous calls are absolutely not cancer. … She has milked this beyond all realms of acceptably [sic],” a second user alleged.
Other users defended Kate, noting that “pre-cancerous cells can easily evolve into cancerous.”
But while some commenters are criticizing Kate for looking too healthy, one journalist bizarrely claimed that Kate has aged considerably in recent months.
A Bizarre Line of Attack
Good Morning Britain journalist Narinder Kaur tweeted Monday that Kate looked “looked aged” during her recent appearances. She later apologized for the remark but did not retract it.
“I put out a tweet earlier. A genuine ask about why Kate Middleton had aged so much. It was genuinely an ask,” Naur tweeted.
“I thought she was perhaps a smoker. It was, on reflection, a stupid, insensitive tweet.”
Kaur also retweeted a claim that Kate “never had cancer.”
So the people who think Kate looks youthful and healthy think that she never had cancer. And the people who think she looks like an “aged” smoker also think she never had cancer.
The life of a princess is even more challenging than Disney movies led us to believe.