Why The Photos Of Kate Middleton's Reemergence Are Seriously Suspect

Ever since Catherine, Princess of Wales, underwent abdominal surgery in January 2024, there have been wild theories about her absence from the public eye. The state of Kate Middleton's health has been discussed at length since her operation, and the first photo of her since her medical procedure emerged on March 4, 2024. TMZ shared the picture of Kate riding in the passenger seat of a car near Windsor Castle with her mother, Carole Middleton, behind the wheel.

However, many royal watchers online think the photo is somewhat suspicious. It's grainy and Kate is wearing sunglasses (and Carole isn't, even though the sun seems to be shining directly in her eyes). Is it possible there's an unnatural quality to the photo because it was staged to try and get rumors about Kate's whereabouts to stop?

Also, why release the photo now? There's been lots of chatter about the royal family the past few months, especially following King Charles III's heartbreaking cancer diagnosis. Many members of the royal family aren't operating at full capacity at this time, and concerns about the state of the monarchy could explain why Kate finally stepped out.

It's likely Catherine, Princess of Wales, chose to take a drive to prove the royal family is still going strong. Many of the high-up royals haven't been attending as many engagements as usual — King Charles III and Kate Middleton for health reasons, of course. However, William, Prince of Wales, missed a St. George's Chapel ceremony for his late godfather King Constantine of Greece due to "personal reasons" (via The Daily Mail). Queen Camilla has stepped up big time following Charles' cancer diagnosis, but even she is taking time off. According to The U.S. Sun, after a week of no engagements and a vacation overseas, she will return to duties for Commonwealth Day on March 11, 2024.

All those factors have culminated in questions and speculation. Richard Kay, a royal expert and contributor to The Daily Mail, wrote about everything that's been going on in the family and pointed out how the "slimmed-down monarchy" Charles wanted might not work out. "The fact that little was being said added to the sense of apprehension that all is not well within the royal house," Kay said. It seems the royal family wants to prove otherwise, and the timing of Kate's reemergence may have a lot to do with that. It's hard to ignore the feeling that this unofficial appearance — with no real commentary from Kate or the palace — was manufactured specifically to quell the rumor mill.

After Kate was seen out and about, it was announced that her return to royal engagements will be Trooping the Colour in June 2024. She shone in green at 2023's Trooping the Colour, and she'll likely dress to impress again to prove she, and the other royals, are still in business.