Why the royal family remains silent in the face of controversy over Kate Middleton’s whereabouts

Photos and videos published by British newspaper The Sun show the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, in public for the first time since undergoing abdominal surgery in January.

In the images, Kate appears alongside her husband, Prince William, in a store in Windsor, a city west of London and where the royal family maintains one of its official residences. The princess appears smiling and relaxed.

The video released by The Sun on Monday (18) was captured by members of the public. Kensington Palace has not commented on the images so far.

But after all, why has the royal family remained silent in the face of the many speculations that have arisen on social media and the world press about Kate Middleton’s whereabouts and health?

For Sean Coughlan, royal correspondent for BBC News, it all comes down to a dilemma regarding the privacy of British royals.

“It would be difficult to expect the royal couple to be able to go to the store without being seen,” says the BBC journalist.

“But part of Kensington Palace’s reluctance to confirm what could be a positive story is linked to the thorny issue it raises about privacy.”

Talking about the images or addressing the controversy in any way could set a precedent for the couple, who at other times have made it clear that they want to protect their privacy as much as possible and maintain a normal family life, says Coughlan.

And although publications in the US released other paparazzi photos of the princess last month, the UK press did not publish them.

The difference in the release of the photos this time may be the great interest on social media in the topic, with false claims about imminent announcements from the royal family and conspiracy theories.

SPECULATIONS ABOUT THE PRINCESS’ WHEREFORE

The veracity of the video published by The Sun has not been confirmed by Kensington Palace, but its release may help calm the many speculations that have arisen on social media about Kate’s whereabouts.

The images aren’t likely to completely stop the rumor cycle, but it’s the clearest evidence yet that Kate appears to be recovering well.

A day later, the Prince of Wales visited her in hospital, where, according to the palace, he found her “doing well”.

But after Prince William canceled at the last minute his participation in a religious ceremony in Windsor, in memory of his godfather, King Constantine of Greece, rumors about Kate’s health began to spread.

The situation worsened even further after Kensington Palace released a photo of the princess alongside her three children to mark Mother’s Day, celebrated on March 10 in the United Kingdom.

After the image was published, several international news agencies that had distributed the photo, including Reuters and the Associated Press, took it down due to concerns that it had been digitally altered.

The princess later apologized for “any confusion” she may have caused.

Before the photos published by The Sun, another image had been released by the press. In it, Kate would have been photographed in a car next to Prince William.

The low resolution of this photo and the manipulation of the family portrait released by Kensington Palace only provoked more speculation and curiosity from the public.

After the publication of the new photos, William visited housing developments in Sheffield, in the center of the United Kingdom, this Tuesday (19), to promote his project in favor of the homeless.

William probably felt relieved to return to the difficult work of public duty.

During the visit, there was no discussion about Kate or any of the family’s photographs — the topic was not on the agenda.

William and Kate’s Public Relations team is aware of the current media storm. They are millennials real and are not isolated from everything that is being said.

And the new photos, as well as all the speculation surrounding this controversy, could overshadow William’s trip to Sheffield.

The prince hopes the public’s focus will turn to one of his personal causes

*This text was originally published here.