Matchmaker Tells Us Why We Shouldn't Suspect Trouble Between William And Kate

Catherine, Princess of Wales' continued absence from the public eye following her planned abdominal surgery in January 2024 has ignited rumors that there's trouble at Kensington Palace. Prince William has also inadvertently added fuel to the speculative fire with his statement on the matter. But other royal fans, like matchmaker and CEO of Exclusive Matchmaking, Susan Trombetti, aren't nearly as worried. The List spoke to Trombetti about what she thinks could be causing the royals' odd behavior.

Kate Middleton's recovery window aligns with the palace's original statement, which said the princess would recover from her late January surgery and remain out of the public eye until after the Easter holiday. However, after the palace released William's cryptic reason for skipping a relative's memorial service in late February, some suspected the Windsors might be hiding more from the public than we initially thought.

Trombetti believes William's actions are perfectly reasonable given the circumstances around Kate's recuperation. "I don't think his recent behavior is hiding anything but more protecting Kate's privacy," she told us. "It's been weeks now, and nothing has slipped out about her health condition. He is just trying to protect her."

Although public concern over Kate Middleton's whereabouts started as anxiety about the princess' health, especially in the wake of King Charles III's cancer diagnosis, subsequent news has shifted the narrative to the state of Kate and William's marriage. These rumors were exacerbated by a statement released by William on his and Kate's joint X account (formerly known as Twitter), which used singular pronouns and William's monogram in place of the joint monogram typically inscribed above Kensington Palace's announcements.

"Ya' all now witnessing the final act," wrote one X user. "How to announce a separation without announcing a separation. A lesson to those gals that chase a rich guy thinking they have a meal ticket for life." The user ended their tweet with #WhereIsKate, a hashtag that's becoming increasingly popular as royal fans and non-fans speculate about why Middleton would be missing from the public eye for so long.

However, Susan Trombetti thinks that if there are any marital problems between Kate and William, they're no more salacious than your average ups and downs. "They are constantly in the public eye, which is not easy," Trombetti says. "They also have small children that they are hands-on with, and that's always stressful. If there was something going on there, and it's possible, it would shock me and millions of other people. We would catch wind of it."

William and Kate's readiness to share their lives with the public, whether at official events and appearances or sharing news of their growing family, makes their intense privacy all the more suspicious. The couple's harrowing silence is causing some to draw comparisons between William and Kate and Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex whose desire for privacy and autonomy led to their departure from the royal family in 2020.

But again, Susan Trombetti thinks these concerns are largely unfounded. "Will and Kate are united in their marriage in the public eye," she insists. "They seem like a well-rounded couple that love each other and are solid. As we know, there has been speculation about Harry and Meghan's happiness in their marriage because of family issues. William and Kate seem to be united in their understanding of their royal roles, the family, and the way it all works being royal and staying silent, unlike Harry and Meghan."

Trombetti says that William and Kate forged their strong bond before the worst of recent royal drama surfaced, unlike Harry and Meghan, who "seemed to bond over their hurt and anger towards the royal family." Whatever the reason behind this cryptic behavior, we hope Trombetti is right — that we're all making royal mountains out of molehills, and Kate and William are doing just fine.