A Complete Timeline Of Kate Middleton's Disappearance
The fascination with the British monarchy has spanned centuries and (thanks to each new salacious story) will undoubtedly continue as long as there is an heir to the throne. Ever since the 1600s, kings and queens have ruled the United Kingdom, but their power in politics has evolved into more of a ceremonial role. While the Royal Family continues to hold incredible influence over the social structures in British society, their power to exercise discretion over the appointment of prime ministers diminished in the 1950s. Nowadays, their roles are considered more ceremonial, leading the public to wonder, what do they actually do? While they're in charge of strengthening diplomatic relationships and essentially the face of the UK, much of the public is more concerned with their scandals than their so-called "power."
At the forefront of most of the news surrounding the monarchy is Kate Middleton, who married into the Royal Family in 2011. Her post-royal life has never been the same, from paparazzi tracking her every move to dodging the many conspiracy stories that proliferate Kensington Palace. The Princess of Wales is no stranger to the gossip that surrounds her daily life, from who she may be feuding with down to how she chooses to wear her hair.
As of late, Middleton is making headlines for playing Houdini. That's right, the Princess of Wales has seemingly vanished from the public eye and the media is hungry for answers. We're breaking down the timeline of Kate Middleton's disappearance, and what this means for the Royal Family.
Kate Middleton was last seen in public in December of 2023
Where oh where has Kate Middleton gone? Well for starters, where has she been? The last time the Princess of Wales made a public appearance was on Christmas day in 2023, when she rang in the holiday season during the yearly church service at St. Mary Magdalene Church. The church is located on the family's Norfolk property in England, called Sandringham. Middleton was accompanied by her husband Prince William and their three children, as well as by King Charles III and Queen Camila for the celebratory occasion.
The Christmas service was the first time the Royal Family stepped out together in public since the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla in May of 2023. Middleton donned a royal blue trench coat and what looked to be sapphire earrings, paired with a half-up-half-down hairstyle and a matching royal blue hat. She appeared to be in good spirits during the procession into the church, as she held hands with her children and smiled at the onlookers.
Prince Harry revealed in his tell-all book "Spare" (per New York Post) that the Royal Family typically opens presents on Christmas Eve, keeping in a long-standing German tradition that had been in the family name long before they became Anglican. Instead, the family returned home to a giant feast of turkey and many other holiday delicacies. The momentous Royal Family reunion marked the last time Middleton was seen for a public appearance, as of the time of writing.
Middleton underwent an abdominal surgery in January of 2024
Nearly a month after Kate Middleton's public appearance on Christmas Day, she was admitted to the London Clinic for surgery. On January 17, 2024, Kensington Palace released a statement that the Princess of Wales underwent a "planned abdominal surgery" adding that "the surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days." While little is known as to the nature of the surgery and why it was done, a source revealed to People that it was a non-cancerous procedure. Prince William was seen visiting his wife the next day and also took a step back from his public appearances to remain by her side.
As per medical advice, Kensington Palace advised that Middleton would be recovering at her home after leaving the London Clinic and would most likely not be seen in public for royal duties until after the Easter holiday. The statement also stressed the Princess of Wales' desire to keep her personal health matters private, saying that a representative for the Royal Family would "only provide updates on Her Royal Highness' progress when there is significant new information to share." That did little to quell the rumor mill, however, as reports of Middleton's health potentially being in question began to surface.
Rumors swirled about Middleton's health concerns
Kate Middleton returned home to her and Prince William's residence at Adelaide Cottage on January 29, 2024, where she was slated to recover for at least a month. But when Prince William decided not to attend the memorial service for his late godfather in late February, speculation swirled online about Middleton's wellbeing.
Journalist Concha Calleja even touted a false narrative on the Spanish news program "Fiesta" claiming that Middleton was placed in a coma. "The decision was to put her in an induced coma," Calleja said (per The Times). "They had to intubate her. There were serious complications that they didn't expect because the operation went well, but the postoperative period didn't go so well."
A source close to the Palace denied those claims, however, telling the publication, "It's total nonsense. No attempt was made by that journalist to fact-check anything that she said with anyone in the household." Amidst the bogus claims, a source close to the Royal Family admitted there's no reason to worry, saying that Middleton "continues to be doing well." The insider's comments came weeks before Prince William was absent at his late godfather's memorial; it is unclear if his absence had anything to do with his wife's condition, however.
Prince William ultimately returned to his public duties in early February, albeit with quite a weight on his shoulders. Not only does the heir have to grapple with his wife's recovery, but the news of his father's cancer diagnosis, which was announced by Kensington Palace on February 5, 2024.
Middleton under the knife for... cosmetic reasons?
Several conspiracy theories originated on the Internet involving Kate Middleton's surgery and disappearance from the spotlight, ranging from Brazilian butt lifts to a possible new career in television.
Some fans alleged that her Royal Highness may have been bluffing about the abdominal surgery, instead going under the knife for a facial reconstruction or some other plastic surgery. "Kate Middleton probably got some new plastic surgery since she about to be queen soon. So she can be snatched," one user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. The speculation even had world-renowned plastic surgeon Michael Salzhauer, known by his nickname Dr. Miami, weighing in. "I'm too invested in this #KateMiddleton conspiracy," he tweeted.
Some users even thought she might be trying out a career in television, noting her step-down from public duties as a cop-out for her potentially filming shows. "I'm telling y'all, when she's revealed to be on the masked singer it's over for everyone," one fan tweeted. The Internet had such a field day that a representative for the Princess of Wales chimed in to clear the noise. "Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess' recovery and we'd only be providing significant updates," Middeton's rep told The New York Post. "That guidance stands." In other words, fans of the Royal Family may have to look elsewhere for some English tea, and we mean the kind for spilling, not sipping, of course.
Middleton was spotted near Windsor Castle in March of 2024
Kate Middleton may not be making public appearances at the time being, but that doesn't mean the paparazzi haven't spotted her outside of Adelaide Cottage. The Princess of Wales made headlines in March of 2024 when she was seen around Windsor Castle in what was a rare spotting given her recent surgery.
TMZ captured photos of Middleton riding in the passenger seat as her mother Carole drove her in a vehicle in early March. While the grainy photos didn't give the public any insight into her current state, it marked the first time she was seen outside of her and Prince William's estate since Christmas of 2023. As per Express, the Princess of Wales was out on mom duty and returning from dropping off her three children at school. The Princess did attempt to keep a low profile, however, and wore shades inside the vehicle.
A seemingly altered photo of Middleton causes a stir
Kensington Palace caused quite a stir on Mother's Day in the U.K. when they released the first image of Kate Middleton and her family following her abdominal surgery. On March 10, 2024, the Palace released a picture featuring Middleton smiling alongside her three children in a celebration of the holiday. Immediately, expert photo analysis reported that the photo had been edited in some way, causing alarm amongst the public as to why the photo was photoshopped.
According to the Daily Mail, the image, which was reportedly taken by Prince William, had been tampered with in at least 16 ways, including blurred edges around Middleton's hair and Prince Louis' fingers, as well as Middleton's zipper not matching up on her shirt. Princess Charlotte's left hand was also not in line with her skirt, leading viewers to speculate that the photo may have been created using artificial intelligence, or by combining several photos using Adobe Photoshop. Her Royal Highness is also missing her wedding ring in the shot, which caused quite a stir on X. "Tell us the truth! Where's ar' Kate Middleton?" one user tweeted.
Amidst the controversy, several major photo agencies, including the PA, Reuters, and the Associated Press, pulled the photo from their publications. The image became an Internet sensation after Kensington Palace had assured the public multiple times that Middleton was in good health. "#Kate" became a trending topic on X shortly after the photo scandal, with many begging the question, "Where is Kate Middleton?"
Middleton releases an apology over the photo scandal
There's nothing like an "oops!" when it comes from Kensington Palace. The Royal Family had to do some back-pedaling amidst the photo-editing scandal which caused an Internet outcry with fans demanding answers about Kate Middleton. Who better to answer those questions than the Princess of Wales herself, who released an apology following the photo's release.
Middleton took to X a day after the incident, writing a statement on her and Prince William's joint account. "Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing," she wrote. "I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C."
Some fans speculated that her Royal Highness may be covering up for Kensington Palace, and taking the blame for something she may not have been a part of. "It's sad that they have made you take the fall for this. This is just bizarre," wrote one user. "The palace just threw her right under the bus huh? Zero chance this is true," tweeted another.
A source close to Middleton told People that she made "minor adjustments" to the picture with the goal of an "amateur, family photograph taken by the Prince of Wales." As per the Princess of Wales' whereabouts, the insider assured fans that "The family spent Mother's Day together and had a wonderful day."
She was spotted en route to a private appointment post photo-scandal
Shortly after issuing her apology for the photo-editing ordeal, Kate Middleton was seen outside Windsor Castle with her husband. Hours after the Princess of Wales cleared up confusion on social media, Daily Mail photographers captured her and Prince William in the backseat of a blue Range Rover. Sources revealed the Prince of Wales was heading to Westminster Abbey for the annual Commonwealth Day service, but his wife wouldn't be joining him. Instead, Middleton was reportedly on her way to a private appointment as she rode alongside her husband.
Little is known about Middleton's current state beyond Kensington Palace's terse updates and grainy photographs taken of her through vehicles. One insider told People that the Royal Family has a lot of damage control to do, however. "The difficulty now is because there is so little information about what's happening to Kate, if they were going to project things are all normal in this way — with a photo that is now deemed to be fake — it is pretty damning about the floundering and the poor decision making that's going on," he admitted.