THE TIMES: Where is Kate? The royal family attracts more speculation by the day

[TallerSally]

On today's front page, the Times' Kate Mansey reports on the contrasting approaches taken by KP and BP's comms teams in their handling of the extraordinary situation the RF's currently in. It kicks off with the current host of the US's Daily Show (formerly hosted by the formidable Jon Stewart) asking some questions:

"While the King hosted friends and met world leaders, the Palace’s reluctance to comment on the Princess of Wales’s condition has created a rising sense of panic
One of America’s most popular TV comedy programmes was asking the question that had captured the nation. It was not about the Super Tuesday primary contests ahead of the US elections, or the State of the Union address, which elicited an exaggerated yawn from the presenter.

Instead, The Daily Show’s Ronny Chieng turned to look straight into the camera to ask: “Where is Kate Middleton? Where are you, Kate?”

There was no rush to provide reassurance this week from the Prince of Wales, who appeared to begin his working week on Friday with a visit to the Oval cricket ground for his Earthshot environmental campaign. Aides said that William had been busy all week, just not in a way that was visible to the public.

The King was doing the opposite. Away from public duties on doctors’ orders while he undergoes cancer treatment, the monarch had been expected to take this week as scheduled time off. Despite being told to “slow down” by the Queen, who took her own advice and flew to sunnier climes for a few days of relaxation, the King was ramping up.

He was photographed meeting world leaders and ambassadors from his living room at Buckingham Palace. Away from the cameras, he hosted friends who rallied round for afternoon tea and dinner dates. He insisted on the “more public” option of travelling between Buckingham Palace and his more comfortable private quarters at Clarence House in the State Bentley, so that he could “be seen”. Quite what the Queen made of it all from her sun lounger is anyone’s guess, but there are those in the palace who have an idea."

A tongue-in-cheek piece, but raises some interesting questions: have KP messed up the comms around Kate? and William? What is really going on with them? Why is the Royal family-funding public kept in the dark for so long, when usually not a couple of days go by without us having some nicely staged photo of some kind from Kensington Palace?

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/where-is-kate-prince-william-king-charles-cancer-khktpx9bm

Yes I agree I said as much in an earlier post, this thread is fucking insane and this is just one little thread, it’s time all of it was put to bed permanently, this can’t go on and I say this as someone who supports the monarchy, no human should have to put up with this rabid onslaught, some posters on here are absolutely unhinged.

I have three thoughts on it all.

Kate will appear after Easter, looking absolutely fine, and no explanation will be given. The narrative will be 'see, just like we told you.'

I believe that Kate's priorities since becoming a mother may have changed. She nailed her own role, but we know what a seismic shift being a parent can be. Status, money and power cannot shield you from worrying about your children, and status, money and power are all double edged swords. This, incidentally, is nothing to do with her absence - it's occurred to me before.

People are masking a desire for drama behind 'concern for Kate.' I don't think there will be any drama at all, and I think some people will almost disappointed by the sounds of it.

That picture of her with her Mum was rather sad to see - so closed up and serious and so different from the bubbly, happy Kate we are used to seeing. I think whatever happened had both a physical and a psychological effect. I just hope everyone shows humanity and warmth when she does return to public life.

God almighty, what a horrible word to use. Neither Kate, Pippa or Carol look 'emaciated' they're slim people who clearly incorporate exercise into their daily lives quite naturally. You don't give birth to three children unless you're pretty healthy. I really hate that term, it's just awful.

Who really cares about this stuff? As I said, she had a pre-planned op and they said she was going to have loads of down time. She is literally getting the best of everything that money can buy incl healthcare. She is a fit, forty something woman and there is no reason to believe that she isn't making a full recovery. I don't think her marriage is all it is cracked up to be but they like to put a good show on and she is notoriously a perfectionist and highly competitive. That is her schtick. Apart from looking decorative and uttering banalities, she doesn't do anything useful outside her immediate family concerns and the RF has been nothing but an over-bloated, expensive soap opera for years. Can't take any of it seriously with such banal characters who, if they were anywhere in real life, would be lucky to be middle management at this stage of their lives! She'll be back with a bit more filler, a new wardrobe and the perma-grin, of that I am certain!

Last month, a US publication, " The Hill" had an interesting article written by some retired US military guys talking about hostile countries targeting H & M in social media to destabilize the UK government and create problems for the US.

Now I am wondering if the foreign bots are targeting W & K. The woman has been unwell for 2 months and crazier rumors show up every day. Your country is not at war. William is not needed to lead a charge against the French. I get you are unhappy with your economy. Does no one hold their elected officials accountable?

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the frenzy was indeed coming from bots hostile to the UK.

Kate is a human. Humans get ill, humans also like our late Queen die. Why is anyone surprised Kate is mortal? Or that like the queen's failing health, wanted to keep something back of herself from the world?

Some humans are like Katy Price and show everyone everything and some aren't and some people are all shades in-between on their privacy.

Also the argument that she works for us. Do we "own" her? Rishi works for us, big time. Does he work 24/7? Do we own him? That's utter BS that she can't ever be off work. On sick leave. Maybe working 96 years up till the day before you die isn't enough. What is enough? Would you work for that? William had zero choice he didn't apply for the role. Kate crime was to fall in love.

Like her late mil, she is hounded every day until she dies whatever she does now. I can't feel anything but sad for her and this proves again that it's women who tear down other women as sure as men are violent towards us, women will love to bring other women down. Very sad. Humans got to human I guess

We was told

She wont be on any engagements until Easter

Why it this so difficult for some people to understand ?

You will most likely next see her at The Easter Church service !

Off topic but I have had healthy, successful pregnancies whilst in the depths of anorexia and very underweight.

You can’t assume someone’s health by looking at them. Pippa is a lot sturdier than Kate.

Maybe she's had bad Botox and her face has gone weird?

This is nuts. Well done Kate for not sharing your medical information. This has to stop. Right now. This post is not tongue in cheek, this is brutal harassment. Kate needs to take time away from work because this is what she was advise to do. Tough. We all know of "nice" people who literally work themselves to their death bed. She is setting an excellent example and I hope that young women will take note and take heed.

She didn't wear a white dress!

Because foreign interests and devoted Sussex fanatics (like the author of this thread) are absolutely desperate to get some sort of negative leverage out of Kate’s illness.

its all very unpleasant

@fuckingbastard brutal harassment , really? I don't think chatting on a forum about what's happening with a well known person is actually classed as harassment.

Also , if you don't want to discuss this topic then leave the thread. It'll die quicker if people stop posting.

Why do so many people get their knickers in a twist when people don't agree with their way of thinking? Calm down , it's just strangers on a forum typing words about a person you don't even know personally.

@Wellnotme "You don't give birth to three children unless you're pretty healthy."

Well, you do, actually.

I wonder what would happen if she just took the children and left. Probably a bit too late now-but what if? Does she have access to her own money?

These photos from TMZ & the detail about no security. Why would there be no security ? Especially during a time where there’s potential media intrusion and interest.

I would argue the frenzy of speculation that's going on right now, by extremely established sources like The Times, is many times more humiliating and degrading that whatever the truth of the medical matter was.

Perhaps you would find it so. She obviously disagrees.

Reading these threads really is like watching a very extended tantrum from a toddler who’s been told ‘No’. ‘Tell us! She should have told us! The PR team should have told us and then we wouldn’t be acting like this! Show us a picture! Tell us or we’ll make stuff up! Tell us or we’ll say you’ve had a BBL! Tell us or we’ll say you’re getting a divorce! This could have been avoided if you’d just teeeeellllll us!’

This reminds me of when the press went all out to push for a lockdown at the start of covid, trying to whip up hysteria with the public, when in hindsight it may not have been the best decision.

I'd like to believe that people see every aspect of her life, including her kids' behaviour and whether or not she pegs her husband, is under scrutiny because of who she married so for once she's said fuck it this is my business and I'm not bowing to this insane pressure to parade around whilst in recovery.

Reading these threads really is like watching a very extended tantrum from a toddler who’s been told ‘No’. ‘

Best comment on MN about the stupid 'where is Kate' saga. 👏

I’m not sure how people are getting that she is sad and serious from one single grainy snap of her in a car. For all we know she could have been hooting with laughter 30 seconds previously. The pap may well have chosen a glum expression because it made things appear “serious”. We don’t know. But there is an awful lot of over interpretation going on

FWIW my opinion is that, however ‘planned’ they claim the surgery was- owing to the fact that they had to cancel engagements- it obviously caught them unawares and was a bit of a shock to both the family and the palace.
I think there is an element of having to think on the fly for them, I don’t think they had a chance to plan in advance for what would be said etc.
And if Kate has had major unexpected surgery, she is probably taking time to come to terms with what has happened emotionally and physically before she can plan for the future and what to tell people. Especially as she has young children. Personally, every time I get a cold I panic about leaving my DC-I’m terrible!

That being said, KC was clearly in the same boat and it was all dealt with well. But I think as you get older, these things are a bit more expected.

I think this has side swiped the Wales’ out of nowhere and they are regrouping and dealing with things privately before deciding what to tell people. Fair enough.