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Where is Kate?

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki

Catherine, Princess of Wales, on 5 May 2023

In early 2024, speculation which asked "Where is Kate?" surrounded the absence of Catherine, Princess of Wales.[1][2][3][4] Catherine underwent abdominal surgery at The London Clinic on 17 January 2024,[2][5] returning home to Adelaide Cottage on 29 January.[6][7] The operation was said to be planned, successful, and not cancer-related;[8][5][9] a statement from Kensington Palace said that Catherine wished her private health matters to remain private.[8][2][10][11] Speculation on the nature of Catherine's health grew after William, her husband, pulled out of a memorial service for Constantine II of Greece on 27 February for a "personal matter".[2][12][13]

On 10 March, which was celebrated as Mother's Day in the United Kingdom, the family's social media accounts released a photograph of Catherine and her children.[10] The photograph was later retracted by several major agencies after inconsistencies in the image emerged.[11][14] The following day, Catherine admitted to altering the photograph and apologised.[15] Kensington Palace said it would not publish the unedited photograph.[14][11] Later that day, Catherine was seen leaving Windsor in a car with William.[11]

Hospitalisation[edit]

The London Clinic, August 2020

On 17 January 2024, Kensington Palace issued a statement saying that Catherine, Princess of Wales, had undergone "planned abdominal surgery" at The London Clinic the previous day, and would remain in hospital for up to two weeks.[2][5] The statement said that Catherine was "unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter",[2] and that Catherine wished the details of her health circumstances to remain private.[2][10][11] Ninety minutes later,[6][16] Buckingham Palace announced that Charles III, Catherine's father-in-law, would undergo a "corrective procedure" the following week following a benign prostate enlargement.[17] Royal sources clarified that Catherine's condition was not cancer-related.[5][18] While in hospital, Catherine was visited by Charles and her husband, William.[11][19]

Catherine returned to Adelaide Cottage, the family home in Windsor Home Park, on 29 January,[7][18] thirteen nights after her surgery.[11] A spokesperson said that she was "making good progress".[7] William paused his duties to care for the family,[6][20] returning on 7 February for an investiture ceremony.[20][21] Kensington Palace said that it would provide only significant updates on Catherine's recovery.[11][22] Before Catherine's hospitalisation, Catherine and William were reported to be planning a royal trip in the spring, possibly to Latvia or Italy.[19][23] While Kensington Palace's initial statement said that Catherine would not return to official duties until Easter, commentators suggested that her return could be postponed for a few weeks during the school holidays.[23][24]

Speculation[edit]

Even before Catherine's hospitalisation, her public absence since Christmas Day led to speculation about her health.[2] While the frankness in revealing her planned operation was considered unusual,[19] following her hospitalisation, speculation grew on social media and the national press about the nature of the princess's treatment.[12][14] Among the conspiracy theories, Catherine was hiding after a bad hairstyle, recovering from buttock augmentation surgery,[25][26][27] or navigating strains in her marriage.[28] On 1 February,[9][29] royal sources dismissed a claim in a Spanish-language television programme by Concha Calleja that Catherine was in a coma,[18] calling it "fundamentally, totally made-up".[9][29]

Catherine's absence was contrasted to Charles' visibility and openness about his treatment.[2][22] Some commentators defended Catherine's privacy, criticising the speculation,[25][30][31] and suggested comparisons to Charles were unfair given their different roles.[22][26] The health concerns of both working royals led to speculation about the family's capacity to continue its public duties:[32] Charles' biographer Catherine Mayer said that the speculation exposed "how the royal family has gone from too many people to too few in a short space of time".[33] Writing for The Cut, journalist Tanya Gold drew comparisons to Queen Victoria's retreat from public visibility following the death of Prince Albert, noting that support for the monarchy waned and then recovered upon her return.[28] Gold and other commentators,[28] including royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith,[33] reflected upon Elizabeth II's saying that the royal family has "to be seen to be believed".[32] Bedell Smith said that "there is too much uncertainty that is surrounding the monarchy right now".[33] Commentators also discussed the relationship between the royal family's privacy and their ceremonial duties.[30][33][34]

On 27 February, with less than an hour's notice, William pulled out of a memorial service for Constantine II of Greece, his godfather, at which he had been due to read. A statement from Kensington Palace ascribed the cancellation to a "personal matter".[13] The sudden cancellation triggered speculation that it was linked to Catherine's health.[2][12][13][18] Royal sources said that Catherine was doing well,[12][18] and her continued absence were pursuant to her recovery timeline.[35][12]

On 4 March, TMZ, an American tabloid, published a paparazzi photograph of Catherine.[2][20] In the photograph, Catherine is wearing sunglasses, in the front passenger seat of a car driven by her mother, Carole Middleton.[2][10] British news organisations did not distribute the photograph because it breached their privacy guidelines.[11][36]

On 5 March, the British Army removed a claim on the Ministry of Defence's website that Catherine would attend its Trooping the Colour ceremony on 8 June.[36][37][38] The advertisement had not been approved by Kensington Palace.[37][38]

On 6 March, Gary Goldsmith, Carole Middleton's younger brother, said that Catherine was receiving the "best care in the world" in a televised episode of Celebrity Big Brother after being asked by Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu. Goldsmith suggested "a kind of code of etiquette" prevented him from revealing further details.[39] On the same day, in response to the speculation, People quoted a royal spokesperson saying that William's "focus is on his work and not on social media".[33]

Mother's Day photograph[edit]

Publication[edit]

On the morning of 10 March, which was celebrated as Mothering Sunday in the United Kingdom, the Waleses' social media accounts released a photograph of Catherine seated on a chair and surrounded by her children.[10] The text accompanying the post, signed by Catherine, thanked well-wishers for their continued support, and wished everyone a happy Mother's Day.[10] It was the first official photograph of Catherine to be released since Christmas Day,[40] and featured on the front pages of newspapers and online news sites.[11]

The photograph was taken by William a week prior to its publication,[14] using a digital camera with a Canon lens.[15] It was not unusual for the family to publish photographs taken by family members rather than professional photographs, beginning with the first official photograph of the newborn Prince George, which was taken by Michael Middleton, Catherine's father.[14] The photograph was distributed by PA Media to other British news outlets under embargo.[15]

Withdrawal and apology[edit]

Later that evening, the Associated Press withdrew the photograph,[11][40] stating that "the source has manipulated the image".[40] Other agencies followed suit with kill notices, including Reuters, Agence France-Presse, Getty Images, and European Pressphoto Agency.[11][14] PA Media said it had contacted Kensington Palace about the concerns but would not withdraw the image.[40] After no such clarification was received, it also withdrew the image.[14][11] The debacle featured on the front pages of major British tabloids and newspapers on 11 March, including The Sun, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mirror, and Metro.[41]

Royal biographer Hugo Vickers commented that rather than reassuring the public, the debacle had "completely done the opposite".[42] Royals expert Richard Fitzwilliams shared the same view, and called the debacle "a cack-handed PR job rather than anything particularly sinister".[27] Mark Borkowski, a public relations expert, said that the palace should publish the unedited photograph to quash rumours.[14]

On Monday 11 March, in social media posts, Catherine said that she "occasionally experiment[s] with editing", and apologised "for any confusion".[15][43] Kensington Palace said it would not publish the unedited photograph.[14][11] Royal sources said that it was not intended as a professional photograph, suggesting that the edits were minor. Later that day, Catherine was seen leaving Windsor in a car with William. William was attending the Commonwealth Day service in London, while Catherine was understood to have a private appointment.[11]

Reported inconsistencies[edit]

In its original decision to kill the photograph, the Associated Press noted "an inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte's left hand". The sleeve of her cardigan was misaligned:[40] a part of the sleeve appears missing,[11] leaving the cuff detached from the jumper.[44]

Several other inconsistencies were later reported online and by news outlets.[44][15] For example, Prince Louis's fingers were positioned awkwardly,[14][45] and leaves on trees in the background appeared unusually green for the season.[14] Catherine's right hand was blurred,[11][15] while Louis's jumper, on which it rested, was not.[11] The pattern on both George's and Louis's jumpers appeared altered.[45] Other blurs included Catherine's hair,[15] and Charlotte's knee at its border with the background.[11][44] Catherine's zip appeared to be misaligned,[15][45] and there was a misalignment in the base of a wooden door in the background.[15] In a separate oddity, analysts noted that Catherine was not wearing a wedding ring.[14][44]

Image analysis[edit]

According to Hany Farid, a professor specialising in image analysis, the inconsistencies could be explained by poor manual image editing, poor camera processing, or a poor composite of images taken in rapid succession.[15] Farid found no evidence that the photo was generated by artificial intelligence,[15][46] or that Catherine's face was superimposed on a model's.[15]

Several specialists in photo editing commented that the image had clearly been doctored in an amateur way.[45][46] An analysis of the metadata of the image distributed by PA Media suggested that it was saved twice on Adobe Photoshop using an Apple Mac computer.[15]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Mansey, Kate (8 March 2024). "Where is Kate? The royal family attracts more speculation by the day". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 Russell, Anna (8 March 2024). "The Kate Middleton Conspiracy-Theory Swirl". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  3. ↑ "Where is Kate? Princess of Wales' public absence sparks concern online". NBC News. 1 March 2024. Archived from the original on 5 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  4. ↑ Hassan, Jennifer (6 March 2024). "Everyone's asking: 'Where is Kate?' despite Kensington Palace assurances". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Rhoden-Paul, Andre; Coughlan, Sean (17 January 2024). "Catherine, Princess of Wales, in hospital after abdominal surgery". BBC News. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "King Charles and Princess of Wales each return home after medical treatment". The Guardian. 29 January 2024. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Badshah, Nadeem; Rawlinson, Kevin (5 March 2024). "Army removes claim Princess of Wales will attend event in June". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "A statement from Kensington Palace" (Press release). Kensington Palace. 17 January 2024. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024. Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales was admitted to hospital yesterday for planned abdominal surgery. The surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery. Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Bonner, Mehera (29 February 2024). "Where Is Kate Middleton: Breaking Down Twitter's Conspiracy Theories". ELLE. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Murray, Jessica (10 March 2024). "First Princess of Wales photo after surgery released for Mother's Day". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  11. ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 11.16 11.17 11.18 Harrison, Emma; Coughlan, Sean (11 March 2024). "Kate photo: Princess of Wales says she edited Mother's Day picture recalled by agencies". BBC News. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Relph, Daniela (29 February 2024). "Analysis: A royal dilemma as public curiosity over Kate's health grows". BBC News. Archived from the original on 9 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Coughlan, Sean (27 February 2024). "Prince William pulls out of memorial service due to 'personal matter'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 27 February 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  14. ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 Davies, Caroline (11 March 2024). "Palace dismay as attempt to dispel Princess of Wales rumours misfires". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  15. ↑ 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 Rhoden-Paul, Andre; Cheetham, Joshua; Horton, Kate (11 March 2024). "Princess of Wales: How might have Kate's photo been altered?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  16. ↑ Harrison, Jody (19 January 2024). "Princess of Wales spends fourth day in hospital". The Herald. Archived from the original on 1 February 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  17. ↑ Seddon, Sean (17 January 2024). "King Charles to be treated for benign prostate condition". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Kurutz, Steven (28 February 2024). "The Palace Responds Again After Rumors Swirl Amid Concern Over the Princess of Wales". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Coughlan, Sean; Rhoden-Paul, Andre (18 January 2024). "Princess of Wales: William visits Kate in hospital after surgery". BBC News. Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Syed, Armani (5 March 2024). "Paparazzi Photo of Kate Middleton Hasn't Put People at Ease". TIME. Archived from the original on 9 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  21. ↑ Faulkner, Doug; Coughlan, Sean (5 February 2024). "Prince William to return to work after Kate's surgery". BBC News. Archived from the original on 1 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 "Why has there been speculation about the Princess of Wales's health?". Sky News. 4 March 2024. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Furness, Hannah (19 January 2024). "The Princess of Wales's absence will be felt keenly – nobody else can do her job". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 1 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  24. ↑ Ship, Chris (5 March 2024). "Princess of Wales conspiracy theories: Separating fact from fiction". ITV News. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Petter, Olivia (4 March 2024). "The truth behind those outlandish Kate Middleton rumours". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Furness, Hannah (1 March 2024). "How a week of Princess of Wales conspiracies are testing royal tradition". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Serhan, Yasmeen (11 March 2024). "The Kate Middleton Saga Exposes the Royal PR Team's Flaws". TIME. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 Gold, Tanya (10 March 2024). "The Royal Family's Kate Middleton Crisis". The Cut. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Mansey, Kate; Hunter, Simon (1 February 2024). "Palace angered by 'made-up' reports that Princess of Wales was in coma". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Savin, Jennifer (28 February 2024). "It's actually none of our business where Kate Middleton is". Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  31. ↑ Tominey, Camilla; Wray, Georgina; Bourne, Josh (8 March 2024). "Princess of Wales: Conspiracies aren't needed, we know where Kate is". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Dickson, Annabelle (5 March 2024). "Britain's royal vacuum as King Charles and Kate Middleton retreat from view". POLITICO. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 33.3 33.4 Perry, Simon (6 March 2024). "Royal Family in Turmoil as Demands Mount for More Transparency: 'There Is Too Much Uncertainty' (Exclusive)". People (magazine). Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  34. ↑ McNamara, Mary; Blake, Meredith (29 February 2024). "What the frenzy over Kate Middleton's 'disappearance' says about the royals — and us". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  35. ↑ Rahaman Sarkar, Alisha (4 March 2024). "Where is Kate Middleton? Royals issue health update as curiosity grows online". The Independent. Archived from the original on 6 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Syed, Armani (6 March 2024). "U.K. Army Removes Claim Kate Middleton Will Attend Event". TIME. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 Gregory, James; Campbell, Sarah (5 March 2024). "Army removes claim Kate to appear at Trooping the Colour from website". BBC News. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 Hui, Sylvia (5 March 2024). "UK government says Kate to appear in June for a ceremony. But the announcement has caused confusion". AP News. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  39. ↑ Lynch, Niamh (7 March 2024). "Celebrity Big Brother: Princess of Wales's uncle Gary Goldsmith gives update on Kate's health". Sky News. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 40.3 40.4 Vernon, Hayden (10 March 2024). "First post-op photo of Princess of Wales withdrawn due to 'manipulation'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  41. ↑ "Monday's national newspaper front pages". Sky News. 11 March 2024. Archived from the original on 5 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  42. ↑ Leeson, Lucy (11 March 2024). "Princess Kate's 'reassuring' Mother's Day photo 'done completely opposite', says royal biographer". The Independent. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  43. ↑ Cobham, Tara; Stavrou, Athena (11 March 2024). "Kate pictured leaving Windsor after apology over edited Mother's Day photo". The Independent. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 44.3 Rawlinson, Kevin (11 March 2024). "The sleeve, the hand, the knee: the royal photo's telltale signs of editing". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 45.3 Cobham, Tara (11 March 2024). "Everything 'wrong' with Kate Middleton's Mother's Day photo". The Independent. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 Milmo, Dan (11 March 2024). "Princess of Wales photo furore underlines sensitivity around image doctoring". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024. Unknown parameter |url-status= ignored (help)

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