Topline
Stephen Colbert admitted on air Monday night his jokes about Kate Middleton’s disappearance from public life before she revealed her cancer diagnosis had “upset” some people, joining a chorus of remorseful celebrities that also includes the hosts of “The View” and Blake Lively.
Stephen Colbert had previously made jokes about Kate Middleton's disappearance on his late-night ... [+]
Key Facts
Colbert said on his show he does not want to “make light of somebody else’s tragedy” and offered his well wishes to Kate for a quick recovery.
Earlier this month, Colbert made jokes during his opening monologue suggesting Kate disappeared because of a rumored affair between her husband, Prince William, and Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, making fun of Habury’s title and joking he wants to “dish the hot goss” and “spill the tea.”
Hanbury’s lawyers had reportedly contacted Colbert following his monologue, and her lawyers denied rumors of an affair with William in a statement to Business Insider.
The hosts of “The View” also offered an apology to viewers on Monday, admitting they were “guilty of having gotten into the fun of ‘Where’s Kate?’” and stating they should have listened to co-panelist Whoopi Goldberg, who had advised her co-hosts to give the royal family privacy.
Blake Lively posted an Instagram story over the weekend apologizing and stating she was “mortified” for making jokes about Kate’s photoshop scandal in light of her cancer diagnosis.
What To Watch For
Whether the list of celebrities apologizing for their jokes about Kate will continue to grow. Kim Kardashian has faced pressure on social media for a post she made on March 16 joking she is on her way “to go find Kate.” Kardashian has not deleted the post, and many users have urged her to apologize in the comments.
Key Background
Public speculation and conspiracy theories over Kate’s whereabouts took social media by storm for weeks until the Princess of Wales revealed last Friday she had been diagnosed with cancer following “major abdominal surgery.” Kate went unseen in public for months following an appearance on Christmas, until several blurry paparazzi pictures in which her face is obscured circulated in March. On March 10, Kensington Palace released a picture of Kate with her children to celebrate Mother’s Day, which was soon retracted by news agencies over concerns it had been digitally manipulated, prompting Kate to apologize the next day. Tabloids published video footage appearing to show Kate and William at the Windsor Farm Shop on March 18, further fueling public speculation, though Kensington Palace refused to comment on the video. Two days before Kate revealed her diagnosis, a U.K. privacy watchdog announced it had launched an investigation into an alleged breach of Kate’s medical records by staffers at the London Clinic, where she had received medical treatment.
Further Reading
Kate Middleton Confirms Cancer Diagnosis In New Video—In Early Stages Of Chemotherapy (Forbes)
