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With royal rumors swirling this week, it seems like most internet users’ preferred form of exercise is jumping to conclusions. Folks have been playing a game of “Where’s Waldo” with Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales. On Jan. 16, the palace informed the public that Kate had undergone a “planned” abdominal surgery, as detailed by HuffPost senior reporter Carly Ledbetter.
In a statement, the palace said that “based on the current medical advice,” Kate probably won’t return to public duties until after Easter. But people riding the two horsemen of the online apocalypse — X, formerly known as Twitter, and TikTok — have dismissed the official story, instead producing a deluge of memes and theories about Kate’s absence.
The speculation comes after news that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer on Feb. 5. In January, the king underwent surgery after seeking “treatment for an enlarged prostate” earlier that month. (Kate was also receiving her operation at that same hospital.) Although the palace has not disclosed the precise nature of Charles’ illness, they have confirmed it is not prostate cancer.
Some folks online have pointed out the contrast between the British press’ dedication to preserving Kate’s privacy and their treatment of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex — recalling the racist vitriol that myriad tabloids directed toward the duchess.
In December 2021, Meghan won a legal battle against the Daily Mail, claiming that the publication “violated her privacy” by publishing a letter she sent to her father in 2018. Moreover, in December, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, was awarded $180,000 in a lawsuit against tabloid conglomerate Mirror Group Newspapers, alleging that they hacked his phone.
Nonetheless, on Thursday, the palace sought to put to bed the rumors regarding Kate’s status. Learn more about what the princess’ spokesperson said here before diving into the rest of The Culture Catchall.
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