English Crown Princess's Cancer Battle Confession Sparks Buzz and Conspiracy Theories "It's Embarrassing"

Since Catherine, Princess of Wales, wife of William, Prince of Wales, revealed her battle with cancer, she has faced a wave of criticism directed at those who spread various conspiracy theories about her personal life, including rumors of her being in critical condition and marital discord. Concerns have also been raised that such conspiracy theories could damage not only the reputation of Princess Catherine's family and acquaintances but also public trust.

The appearance of Prince William and Princess Kate of the United Kingdom on November 21 last year
[Photo by Yonhap News]

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On the 22nd (local time), Princess Catherine posted a video message on her official social media account, personally disclosing her cancer diagnosis. Since undergoing surgery and hospitalization in January, she had not participated in official duties, which had fueled numerous rumors about her health and her marriage.

At 42 years old, Princess Catherine has been one of the most popular figures in the royal family. Polls have shown her enjoying higher approval ratings than even King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and her husband, Prince William. Coming from a wealthy commoner family, she and Prince William, who are the same age, grew their relationship as a university campus couple, experienced a breakup, but ultimately married in 2011.

She has been loved for her elegant yet approachable image and, above all, for maintaining a harmonious family as the mother of three children, including Prince George (10). Given that Prince William’s parents, King Charles III and Princess Diana, went through a tumultuous divorce and that Diana tragically died in a car accident, the peaceful family life of the Prince and Princess of Wales has drawn even more attention.

After Princess Catherine personally shared her cancer battle, those who had used her situation to spread various conspiracy theories were taken aback and retracted their past statements. The British daily The Guardian reported on the 23rd (local time) that thousands of users across platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) expressed regret over their previous remarks following the release of Princess Catherine’s statement.

On X, CEO Linda Yaccarino commented, calling it "a brave message delivered with Princess Catherine’s characteristic elegance," and said, "Her request to protect her privacy to safeguard her children and move forward seems reasonable."

Newspaper Covering the Illness Confession of Catherine, Princess of Wales [Photo by Yonhap News]

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Dana (58), who lives in Georgia, USA, told The Washington Post in an interview that she felt ashamed for recently laughing with friends about rumors concerning Princess Catherine.

Author Quinn Cummings, who had posted conspiracy theories about Princess Catherine in a thread, removed the post and admitted, "I was wrong." However, Cummings criticized the royal publicity department’s incompetence, stating, "It seems they have learned nothing from the late Princess Diana (and her death)."

In the UK, where online conspiracy theories continue to persist, there have been calls for the royal family to reconsider their publicity strategies to better suit the internet generation.

Tara Grace (26) from Ireland, who tweeted last month that Princess Catherine had undergone plastic surgery, also deleted the tweet, saying, "I must take full responsibility." In an email, Grace apologized, saying, "I do not want to be a hypocrite and do not want to admit that I participated in online conversations," adding, "I had no intention of being malicious or making a young woman with three children uncomfortable."

Some, however, have not retracted their past remarks. Stand-up comedian and TV writer Skyler Higley stated that he does not regret his jokes about Princess Catherine’s "mystery" at all. Higley argued, "Cancer is serious, but we were not joking about cancer itself. The jokes were about how Buckingham Palace officially handled the situation."

The Crown Prince family in 2022 [Photo by AP/Yonhap News archive photo]

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The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) analyzed on the 20th in an article titled "Kate Middleton Is Alive, but Royal Conspiracy Theories Will Not Die," stating, "The royal family’s decision to stop media responses backfired," and "Psychologists say that when people lack trustworthy information, they form their own theories and often choose information that can be more intriguing than the truth."

It added, "Simple explanations are often not very appealing, especially when a celebrity is involved." The New York Times (NYT) analyzed, "It all comes down to authenticity," calling it "a phenomenon caused by a crisis of trust in authenticity."

Meanwhile, a Kensington Palace spokesperson released a statement on the same day, saying that Princess Catherine and Prince William were deeply moved by the outpouring of warmth and support from the public worldwide, including the UK, following the disclosure of Princess Catherine’s illness.

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