Kate Middleton has been photographed in public for the first time since her surgery, in an image published by The Sun.
Kate Middleton has been photographed in public for the first time since her surgery, in an image published by The Sun.
A BBC sports reporter appeared to promote conspiracy theories about the Princess of Wales by suggesting it was a “lookalike” who was photographed over the weekend.
Video and photographs emerged on Monday night capturing the 42-year-old alongside the Prince of Wales on a shopping trip close to her Adelaide Cottage home.
It follows weeks of speculation with a series of conspiracy theories about the princess’ health spreading across social media, among them that the woman identified as the princess is an actress or lookalike.
Sonja McLaughlan, the BBC’s rugby specialist, echoed this theory online, suggesting the individual seen shopping alongside Prince William was not his wife, but a double.
She also suggested William could have been replaced by an actor.
Britain's Prince William, left, and Britain's Kate, Princess of Wales, attend a ceremonial welcome for the President and the First Lady of the Republic of Korea at Horse Guards Parade in London, England on Nov. 21, 2023. Photo / AP
Commenting on a video which compares the individual in the latest footage against past pictures of the Princess, McLaughlan wrote: “It’s so obviously not Kate.
“Some newspapers are reporting it as fact. But it’s not her. No conspiracy theorist but all very odd.”
She added to her post on X, formerly Twitter: “Disturbing that newspapers like @thetimes are reporting this as fact. Headline ‘Kate seen in public for the first time’ when it’s clearly not her. As someone has said. Could be couple of lookalikes making mischief.”
Christopher Bouzy, an American entrepreneur who founded a Twitter analytics service that tracks disinformation, inauthentic behaviour and targeted harassment stoked the conspiracy theory fires by questioning the princess’ appearance.
In a series of posts on X, Bouzy said that Kate looked “markedly different” from the leaked paparazzi picture published by American sites earlier this month, claiming she looked “younger, slimmer, taller and faster”.
He added: “We were told Kate was recovering and would resume her royal duties shortly.
“Yet, in the recent video, she is holding a bag and moving briskly. If she’s capable of such activity, why isn’t she back to fulfilling her royal duties yet?”
Others denounced those spreading conspiracy theories and offered support for the princess and her family. Kevin Pietersen, the 43-year-old ex-England captain, dismissed the theories while claiming that he sees the Royal couple “most days” and urging people to “leave her and her beautiful family alone”.
Princess of Wales: First official picture of Kate since surgery released. A new photograph of the royal family was taken in Windsor, earlier this week, by the Prince of Wales. Photo / Instagram
Trust in the Royal family has remained unchanged despite the swirling conspiracy theories online. YouGov polling found two-thirds of respondents’ opinions of the Princess of Wales had not changed since she admitted to photoshopping a Mother’s Day photograph.
The photograph of the princess with her children, released by Kensington Palace, was recalled last week by five of the world’s biggest picture agencies over fears it had been “manipulated”.
The image, taken by William in Windsor, showed the princess looking happy and healthy after her surgery. It was the first authorised picture of her since Christmas.
The photograph had been intended, in part, to reassure the public about her health, after she had spent weeks at home recovering from a major abdominal operation.
But it was recalled by the photo agencies Getty, Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Shutterstock and Reuters, which put out a “kill notice” to halt their distribution of the picture.
“At closer inspection, it appears that the source has manipulated the image,” the AP notice said.
Queen Elizabeth II with her grandshildren image posted to twitter on what would have been her 97th birthday photograph credited to 'The Princess' reportedly taken at Balmoral in Summer 2022
picture supplied. Photo / Instagram @KensingtonRoyal
https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1649382480393256963/photo/1
On Monday, Getty Images said a second photograph which featured Queen Elizabeth II surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, taken by the princess, was “digitally enhanced at source”.
The photo, taken at Balmoral in August 2022, was reviewed by Getty Images after the princess admitted that she had edited the Mother’s Day picture of herself and her three children.
Buckingham Palace released it on April 21 last year to mark what would have been the late Queen’s 97th birthday.
Lucy Frazer, the Culture Secretary said the princess deserved “privacy” amid the increased speculation.
Speaking to LBC on Tuesday, Frazer said: “She is a remarkable lady and I think we should give her a bit of privacy...at the moment she is recovering from an operation and I think we should respect her privacy.”
