[imagesource:wikimediacommons]

Kate Middleton has been seen in public for the first time since her “scheduled abdominal surgery” two months ago and people are freaking out about her health even more.

Following weeks of unrelenting online speculation, and even conspiracy theories, about the Princess of Wales’ health and whereabouts, TMZ published images of the 42-year-old in a car with her mother near Windsor Castle.

She was last seen in public around Christmas as she has been recuperating from surgery. Per TIME, Kensington Palace issued a statement in January announcing that Kate had undergone abdominal surgery in January and would recover – out of the spotlight – until after Easter. Kensington Palace announced that she was “making good progress” and recuperating at their family home in Windsor.

Her condition has, of course, come at a sensitive time for the royal family, after Buckingham Palace disclosed last month that King Charles had been diagnosed with a form of cancer. I guess everyone is feeling a little nervous and unsettled.

The royal family probably thought it would be a good idea to get a snapshot of Kate out there to silence the doubters, but the conspiracy theories over her condition just got worse, with folks furiously tweeting with the hashtag #WhereIsKate.

In theory, it’s a great idea: here’s the Princess of Wales, she’s recovering, her mom Carole Middleton is taking care of her, and everyone moves on. But in reality, the PR handling of this situation has been messy, and the palace let the narrative of her health crisis get way ahead of them, per She Knows.

It doesn’t help that the grainy photo of Kate doesn’t exactly look like the highly polished princess that royal fans are accustomed to, even though she is supposed to be sick. Some social media users have taken this idea and rolled with it, arguing that it doesn’t look like Kate at all.

ABC News reported that “the photograph was not released or authorized by Kensington Palace” but upon closer inspection, the photo credit lists Backgrid, a news agency that often works with celebrities to shoot planned paparazzi photoshoots. Cue the wild theories:

Just to put it in perspective, those on the left are recent pap pics of Kate Middleton driving a car.

That pic on the right is allegedly her sitting in a car today.

The difference in image quality is not an accident.

It is THAT grainy to cover something: scars or a double ? https://t.co/YwllCiuX5n pic.twitter.com/hBzKbdGIck

— Phantom (@effoff1988) March 4, 2024

That isn’t her..you don’t lose distinctive facial features than could be spotted even from a distance pic.twitter.com/DEFQGNZoiU

— Su Dharmapala Voted Yes & #AI Chick (@SuDharmapala) March 5, 2024

Ive been away for a few days & come back to the grainiest picture I’ve seen since 1994. My Beckham flip phone took better pics than this!

Pippa girl, is that you?

Is this the double I was talking about?

Will the real Kate Middleton please stand up??

✨️✨️ https://t.co/1a8N4ChbeH pic.twitter.com/6eGPF7ILtO

— PerpetuallyPrecocious (@DankIsMeIAmShe) March 5, 2024

Royal expert Amanda Matta, who does daily analysis of the palace on TikTok, noted that Kate has a habit of getting photographed in the car when big news drops and so there’s nothing strange about this.

@matta_of_fact Breaking #royal news: #PrincessKate has REAPPEARED after intense speculation about her health and whereabouts ☕️✨ #princessofwales #katemiddleton #royalfamily #royals #royalty #royaltea #britishroyals #britishroyalfamily #royalexpert #royalnews #royalupdate #royalscandal #royalgossip #royaldrama ♬ “Moonlight” in the dream (Beethoven) – LEOPARD

There’s no silencing the doubters and jokesters, though:

“An extremely alive Kate Middleton”

— liz (@lizzo_soprano) March 4, 2024

The people refusing to even CONSIDER this is strange make the situation even stranger. Obviously there’s something big going on behind the scenes – I’m not a royal family watcher so maybe I’m wrong, but I’ve never seen the palace and the media so utterly silent like this.

— Kate, Queen of the Squirrels (@nubbinsmcgee) February 27, 2024

In the absence of official updates, conspiracy theories flourished so the Palace better get on it or risk being swept away with the tide of crazy.

[sources:time&sheknows]