As the internet continues to spiral over the Princess of Wales’ health, a representative for her husband, Prince William, has spoken out on the issue, giving rare comments on the private matter. In regards to rampant speculation on X (formerly known as Twitter) and other platforms, William’s rep pointedly said, speaking to People, “His focus is on his work, and not on social media.”
Questions of Kate’s whereabouts and concerns about her condition spiked last week, right around when William pulled out of a planned appearance at a memorial service for his godfather, King Constantine of Greece, on February 27, citing undisclosed personal reasons. After Kate’s abdominal surgery on January 16, Kensington Palace said that we likely wouldn’t hear from her until after Easter, which this year falls on March 31. But at the end of February, the internet went a bit bonkers, prompting a representative of Kate’s to remind the frenzied public on February 29 that “Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess’ recovery and we’d only be providing significant updates. That guidance stands.”
In what could have been a response to the uproar, Kate was seen publicly on Monday for the first time in 70 days, appearing in a car alongside mom Carole Middleton as the two went on the school run for Kate’s kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. But will Kate’s appearance and William’s words be enough for the worried public?
“Everybody feels unsettled by uncertainty, and there is too much uncertainty that is surrounding the monarchy right now,” royal expert Sally Bedell Smith told People. “Queen Elizabeth used to say, ‘I need to be seen to be believed.’ It is important for Charles and his reign for the public to know a little bit more. The monarchy needs to be that anchor in times of trouble, and any sense of instability, which is inevitable when you have two of the key players out of action, is understandable.”
In addition to Kate’s health scare, King Charles learned during a corrective procedure for a benign enlarged prostate that he has cancer, for which he is currently undergoing treatment. Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, also has cancer; just weeks after beating breast cancer, she was diagnosed with malignant melanoma earlier this year. Just over a week ago, royal family member Thomas Kingston—husband of royal cousin Lady Gabriella Windsor—died from what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, only adding to the turmoil of 2024 in the royal family.
As to the King’s health, “Even though he has revealed that he has a form of cancer, that has done nothing to quell the speculation about how seriously ill he may or may not be,” Bedell Smith said, per People. “That is not doing the monarchy any favors. He is the head of state, and there are constitutional implications.”
Though Charles has long expressed a desire to have a slimmed-down monarchy and have the number of working royals be kept to more of a minimum, the royal family has never felt as perilously thin as it does at the moment, with two of its four most senior royals experiencing health issues, and their partners intermittently off duty taking care of them. “This is massively exposing how the royal family has gone from too many people to too few in a short space of time,” said Catherine Mayer, author of the biography Charles: The Heart of a King.
It remains to be seen if the statements from both William and Kate’s representatives, as well as seeing photos of Kate, will quell the public’s fervor over her health. People reports that Kate “continues to be doing well” in her recovery, but also cites a Palace source as describing the overall lack of information about her condition as complete “radio silence.”
“She is their MVP, without any doubt,” royal historian Amanda Foreman said of the Princess of Wales. “She is in so many ways the most like the late Queen.”
And, while public interest about Kate may be frustrating for the Palace, it should be taken as a compliment and a testament to her importance to the royal family, and to the world. “She’s so central to the monarchy and the future,” Bedell Smith said.
