Princess of Wales Kate Middleton is reportedly considering stepping away from her royal duties after a series of scandals have painted her as a "villain," a "racist," and a bully. The 42-year-old's alleged decision has sent shockwaves through her marriage and the monarchy, according to a sensational new report by the National Enquirer.
A senior palace courtier told the tabloid, "Kate's desperate struggle with the constant pressures of life in the royal fishbowl has clearly taken a terrible toll on her physical and mental health. She spent weeks staying out of the public eye after her operations - and it's only strengthened her resolve to quit."
The princess' alleged exit plan comes after years of intense scrutiny and scandal, with insiders claiming that the ongoing drama surrounding her brother-in-law, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan Markle, has left her "disillusioned and frustrated," as reported by Radar Online. However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's departure from the royal family has ironically shown Kate that there is an alternative to being "trapped in the Firm."
"She knew when she married William her life would change forever, but never in her wildest dreams thought it would be this intense!" a well-placed royal source revealed. "Kate had a hard time when she first joined the family but after a few years assumed she'd gotten through the worst of it."
The arrival of Meghan Markle and the subsequent vicious attacks from the Sussexes have only added to Kate's troubles. "Kate's been painted the villain, a racist who questioned the skin color of Meghan's son, Archie, before he was born, who made Meghan cry before her wedding and who went out of her way NOT to be friendly," the palace insider shared. "Those stories will never go away, which is one of the reasons Kate wants to retreat."
In November, it was revealed that Kate and King Charles III were the royals who allegedly commented on Archie's skin tone, more than two years after Meghan made the claims during her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
There have been hints for months that Kate wants to wind down her royal duties, taking numerous breaks and missing events, often using her children - Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5 - as her excuse. The future queen of England has only been spotted twice since entering the posh London Clinic, known for cutting-edge cancer treatments, in early January.
Prince William is reportedly "beside himself" over his wife's decision, with a source claiming, "He's stunned his wife could ever consider such a move. He made sure she knew what she was getting into when she married him and she's done a brilliant job. He's concerned she's become emotionally unstable, but she insists she's finally seeing clearly!"
Kate's first official engagement after her recovery was scheduled to be on June 15 for the Trooping the Colour ceremony, but it has been cancelled with no updates on when she'll resume her duties.
The princess' latest public appearance came after her embarrassing Photoshop fail, when her amateur editing skills were displayed in a Mother's Day post amid concerns about her health and whereabouts. The glaring errors forced her to come clean about editing the family photo, apologizing for any confusion caused.
As the royal family continues to face unprecedented challenges and scandals, Kate Middleton's alleged desire to step away from her duties has added another layer of complexity to an already tumultuous situation. The long-term implications of her potential decision on the monarchy and her marriage to Prince William remain to be seen.
