In her months-long absence from official royal engagements, the Princess of Wales has taken a page from the late Queen Elizabeth II's playbook, projecting an air of unruffled steadiness that is forcing frenzied online speculators to reevaluate their conspiracy theories.
Kate, 41, hasn't been seen in public since before Christmas as she recovers from abdominal surgery in January. But the mystery surrounding her condition and extended privacy has sparked outlandish rumors - from body doubles to comas to marital strife - that royal experts say she is batting away in characteristically unflustered fashion.
"If internet no-lifers were writing the script, long before her operation Kate would have been written off," royal historian Dr. Tessa Dunlop told The Mirror. "Protected by the ancient institution of monarchy and her close family, the Princess of Wales has more important things on her mind."
As the online echo chamber of "crackpot nonsense" swirls, Kate is mirroring the late monarch's famously unflappable approach of simply carrying on, experts say. "Like the late Queen before her, she has no need to explain herself. There is only one Princess of Wales, she can take as long as she likes," said Dr. Dunlop.
Kate's steadfast stance stands in contrast to the feverish speculation that has blossomed in the absence of palace updates. When no photos emerged of Kate returning home after her hospitalization in January, or venturing back out in the following weeks, social media filled the void with far-fetched scenarios.
Some baselessly theorized her condition was much more dire than the palace let on, suggesting she was in a coma or facing grave medical complications. Others conjectured about potential marriage woes leading to a split from Prince William. The most bizarre musings included Kate being killed off and replaced by a body double.
Such swirling conjecture may seem over-the-top, but it highlights the unprecedented privacy Kate has embraced. The future queen has long been hailed for her steadfast presence at royal events through periods of household drama. Past videos showed her polished appearances outside hospitals just hours after giving birth, as reported by the Vox.
Prince William marrying Kate Middleton is said to have marked the first marriage of a future King to a "commoner."
"You're telling me that Kate Middleton-the same woman who posed outside the hospital like a freaking supermodel mere hours after giving birth-suddenly requires months of recovery before showing her face?" one skeptic posted. "And the British press now magically respects privacy? This feels...sinister."
The palace has maintained Kate is recovering well but provided few other details, following its initial guidance of "unlikely" resuming duties until after Easter on March 31. "Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess' recovery and we'd only be providing significant updates. That guidance stands," representatives said Thursday.
With the late Queen as her model, Kate appears intent on projecting an aura of steadfast regality through the social media storm, say experts. Her stoicism stands to undermine wilder theories by simply allowing her to re-emerge after her private recovery period, disproving notions of more nefarious happenings.
"Why on earth would the princess waste her time and sacrifice her mental health reading baseless stories written by sad keyboard warriors?" said Dr. Dunlop. "However unpleasant, anyone can publish their opinion these days."
Rather than engage the feverish online chatter, Kate is embodying the quiet determination that came to define the Queen's enduring presence on the throne. For now, her reclusiveness has proven disruptive only to the most fanciful of rumor-mongers, leaving the public eagerly awaiting the Princess of Wales' return to restore her iconic image of steadfast royal reliability.
