The public has been abuzz over a recent photo of Kate Middleton, captured by the American tabloid TMZ. Although British media outlets did not circulate the image, it quickly spread across social media. The photo shows Kate wearing sunglasses while sitting in the passenger seat of a car.
After her planned abdominal surgery, the palace had cleared Kate’s schedule, sparking excitement when rumors circulated that she might make an early public appearance. The speculation grew when the Minister of Defense announced that Kate Middleton would attend the Trooping the Colour dress rehearsal on June 8, ahead of the main event on June 15.
However, it was soon revealed that this was an error, and Kate’s potential return to royal duties was removed from an Army website. According to GB News, Kensington Palace was “not consulted” about the Princess of Wales’ appearance, further fueling rumors about her health.
The palace has gone to great lengths to protect Kate’s privacy. There were no media present when she left the hospital or when she traveled to the Anmer Hall estate in Sandringham a few weeks ago, making this leaked photo a significant setback for the palace.
Jack Royston, Newsweek’s chief royal correspondent, suggested that the palace mishandled the situation. Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Royston said, “The level of secrecy that Kensington Palace maintained around this situation only fueled rampant speculation online. This created a demand that TMZ knew would draw massive attention, allowing them to pay top dollar for these photos.”
Royston argued that the palace could have managed the situation more effectively and quashed the rumors much earlier. “Kate could have simply taken a selfie, or William could have snapped a quick photo. It didn’t need to be a professional shot—just a simple image or short video, like what Charles did,” he added.
