Royal Watchers Aren't Buying The Latest Kate Middleton Sighting Any More Than Us

Royal watchers aren't buying the latest reports about Catherine, Princess of Wales' whereabouts any more than we are. While disturbing conspiracy theories about Kate Middleton's disappearance cropped up during her recovery from abdominal surgery, which resulted in her stepping back from public-facing duties, the public eased up on the speculation after finding out that she had been undergoing preventive chemotherapy. Kate's cancer diagnosis even prompted apologies from Blake Lively, who was "mortified" over her joke, and other celebs who'd previously joked about her absence. However, a series of events, including Kate's bizarre fake Mother's Day photo controversy, and the ever-expanding timeline of her return to public duties, which could now be as far away as 2025, royal watchers aren't sure what to believe.

That's why a new report by the Daily Mail claiming that Kate has been spotted in public several times over the past few weeks hasn't eased suspicion about what could be unfolding behind the scenes. According to the report, the princess has been seen spending time in public with her family, which presumably includes her husband, Prince William, on multiple occasions. And while they didn't share exactly where they'd convened, given their royal status, and the fact that the entire world is yearning for meaningful updates, it seems unlikely that they could make several public outings without any photo evidence — at least that's the argument being made online.

While it's clear that royal watchers want to believe that Kate Middleton is healthy enough to enjoy a public outing with her family, the lack of photo and video evidence is causing them to question the narrative being presented. "The Media is now claiming that Kate Middleton has been seen 'out and about' for the first time since she revealed her cancer diagnosis," tweeted one user on X, formerly known as Twitter. "The only problem is that their 'evidence' is actually a picture from last year. It's getting ridiculous at this stage." Another tweeted, "Look #PhantomKate is out again & surprise, surprise ... nobody's actually seen her! Whatever KP is covering up is HUGE for them to keep going with this ridiculous, clearly false narrative."

According to Vanity Fair, however, Kate is prioritizing her health, but reports claiming that she won't be back until next year aren't true. "There is no timeline, and there is certainly no hurry," shared a source. "It will be when Catherine feels ready and when she gets the greenlight from her medical team. But she will 100% be coming back to work." Kate has also reportedly been responding well to her treatment. "It has been a great relief that she is tolerating the medication and is actually doing a lot better," shared a friend of the family. "It has, of course, been a very challenging and worrying time. Everyone has rallied around her — William, her parents, and her sister and brother."