Prince William is too busy to listen to the noise.
Amid Kate Middleton's ongoing seclusion from the public eye after undergoing planned abdominal surgery in January, the internet has become obsessed with speculating over her whereabouts. But amid the supposition—which has taken a turn for the comical—the Prince of Wales has eyes only for his duties.
"His focus is on his work," his spokesperson told People March 6, "and not on social media."
It is unlikely then, that the Prince of Wales has seen the many jokes that have begun circling on social media, satirically speculating over Kate's true location (with theories including she's currently on The Masked Singer and Big Brother, that she's recovering from a Brazilian butt lift or that she's waiting for botched bangs to grow out.)
However, curiosity over what exactly is going on with Kate only grew after William canceled an appearance at his godfather King Constantine II of Greece's memorial service due to a "personal matter" on Feb. 27. At the time, Kensington Palace reiterated Kate's continued health in a statement to NBC News, noting the 42-year-old was "making good progress."
Two days later, the palace issued an additional statement to E! News regarding Kate's absence from royal duties, noting it's in keeping with the original announcement saying she'd be stepping back through the Easter holiday.
"Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess' recovery and we'd only be providing significant updates," a spokesperson said Feb. 29. "That guidance stands."
But as the number of theories continues to increase, Kate—who shares kids Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5, with William—was spotted in public for the first time since she first stepped back from royal duties at the beginning of the year. The Princess of Wales was seen riding in the passenger seat of a car driven by her mother on March 4 near Windsor Castle, keeping a low profiled in a black top and large sunglasses.
Throughout Kate's health journey, one note the palace has continued to share is the family's gratitude to the health care workers who have taken care of her.
"The Prince and Princess wish to say a huge thank you to the entire team at The London Clinic, especially the dedicated nursing staff, for the care they have provided," Kensington Palace's Feb. 29 statement said. "The Wales family continues to be grateful for the well wishes they have received from around the world."
(E! News and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
For more royal news from around the world in 2024, keep reading.
Returning to Public Duties
On April 26, nearly three months after sharing his cancer diagnosis, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles will return to public-facing duties.
Queen Camilla Attends Royal Maundy Service
The queen consort attended the Royal Maundy Service on March 28 in place of King Charles III, making her the first spouse of the Monarch to continue the ancient tradition.
Kate Middleton Shares Cancer Diagnosis
In a March 22 video message, the Princess of Wales shared that she'd been diagnosed with cancer after undergoing abdominal surgery in January.
"It was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful," she said before noting that tests after the operation found cancer had been present. "My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment."
Kate Middleton Apologizes for Edited Family Photo Controversy
After photo agencies pulled the picture Kensington Palace shared of Kate since having her abdominal surgery on March 10, the Princess of Wales addressed claims the photo was doctored.
"Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing," she tweeted on March 11. "I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C."
Lady Kitty Spencer Privately Welcomes Baby
Princess Diana's niece celebrated Mother's Day in the U.K. by sharing she and her husband Michael Lewis privately welcomed their first baby.
“It’s the joy of my life to be your mummy, little one. I love you unconditionally," she captioned her March 10 Instagram post. "Happy Mother’s Day to those who celebrate today."
Queen Camilla Takes a Break
After keeping up her full slate of engagements in the wake of her husband's cancer diagnosis, the palace cleared Camilla's schedule.
The Times pointed out March 2 that the 76-year-old didn't have any engagements on her calendar until March 11, when she'd be due at Westminster Abbey to observe Commonwealth Day.
Thomas Kensington Dies at 45
The husband of Lady Gabriella Windsor and ex-boyfriend of Pippa Middleton, was found dead Feb. 25. Days later, a coroner's inquest found that he died by suicide.
King Charles Diagnosed With Cancer
While King Charles III was in the hospital for his benign prostate enlargement procedure, the royal family member was diagnosed with cancer.
"His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties," Buckingham Palace said Feb. 5. "Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible."
Sarah Ferguson Is Diagnosed With a Second Type of Cancer
The Duchess of York's rep said in a statement on Jan. 21 that Sarah was recently diagnosed with malignant melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer. Several months prior, she underwent a single mastectomy to treat breast cancer.
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark Abdicates the Throne
On Jan. 14, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark made history as she officially abdicated the throne, handing the crown over to her son, now known as King Frederik the 10th.
Kate Middleton Is Hospitalized
Kensington Palace announced on Jan. 17 that Kate Middleton underwent planned abdominal surgery and was set to remain in the hospital for 10 to 14 days.
"Based on the current medical advice," the Palace said, "she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter."
Prince William Adjusting His Schedule
Amid Kate's recovery, Prince William postponed a number of engagements as he supported his family, including the couple's three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
King Charles III Undergoing Treatment
Shortly after Kate's hospitalization was made public, Buckingham Palace shared that Charles "has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate."
"His Majesty's condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure," the statement added. "The King’s public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation."
Luxembourg Welcomes a New Baby
Princess Claire and Prince Felix of Luxembourg welcomed son Balthazar Felix Karl on Jan. 7, the first royal baby of the New Year!