Prince William has broken his silence amid speculation about his wife Kate Middleton.
WATCH: The royal children volunteer with mother Kate Middleton
During a visit to Sheffield to speak to people impacted by homelessness, and learn about an innovative Homewards housing project, Will reportedly mentioned his wife Kate as conversation turned to childhood.
“We’re venturing into my wife’s territory. She needs to be sat here to hear this,” the prince allegedly said about Kate, who has helped with many projects involving early childhood care.
When was Kate Middleton last seen?
William’s comment comes after he and Kate were pictured out and about. Over the weekend, the royal couple travelled not far from their Berkshire home to visit Windsor Farm Shop. They were spotted by a fellow shopper while in the bread aisle.
In footage obtained The Sun, Kate was smiling as she walked alongside William. She was wearing leggings and a jumper. The future king looked just as casual in jeans, a jacket, and cap.
Following her surgery, the Princess of Wales was seen for the first time on March 4 when she was snapped being driven near Windsor Castle by her mother, Carole Middleton.
However, some speculated the woman in the passenger seat was not Kate – the wild theories claimed it was her sister Pippa or that the princess’ recovery had temporarily altered her appearance.
“That does not look like Kate at all,” an online commenter noted.
One week later, on March 11, royal watchers caught an unexpected glimpse of Kate when she travelled to London for “a private appointment” alongside her husband. He was en route to Westminster Abbey for the Commonwealth Day service.
But social media lit up with unproven claims that this photo had been manipulated like the one shared to Wills and Kate’s Instagram, and edited in an old 2016 photo of the back of Kate’s head.
The agency responsible for the new photo insisted, “Nothing had been doctored”.
Before this, Kate was last seen in public on Christmas Day, 2023. On January 16, she was admitted to hospital for “planned abdominal surgery”, and a spokesperson said at the time her condition was “non-cancerous”.
What are the conspiracy theories about Kate Middleton?
Kate’s total disappearance from public view fuelled wild yet meritless conspiracy theories.
The internet exploded with ludicrous notions about Kate’s health and whereabouts. Some of the more outlandish claims include she had a Brazilian butt lift, to reports in Spanish media that she was placed in an induced coma following her procedure.
Online memes have also placed Kate at Glasgow’s much-ridiculed Willy Wonka exhibition or claimed she’s “run off” with playboy comedian Pete Davidson. While the palace has not addressed the ridiculous theories, a spokesperson for William said, on March 6, “His focus is on his work and not on social media.”
From the outset, Kensington Palace insisted that Kate “is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter”. Despite that transparency, royal watchers grew concerned over her absence.
Speculation reached fever pitch when William, 41, pulled out of doing a reading at a memorial service for his godfather, King Constantine, on February 27 with just an hour to spare due to a “personal matter”.
More questions were asked about the true state of Kate’s health when, on March 4, the British Army removed a claim on its website that the princess would attend the Trooping the Colour ceremony on June 15. And even more so after photo-gate.
