For a woman we’ve seen since Christmas, admittedly too much has been written about the Princess of Wales.

In fact, it could be said that the questions and conspiracy theories about Kate Middleton and her health have gotten out of hand.

The prince and princess – and their team at Kensington Palace – are sticking to the line they drew up in January: she has undergone abdominal surgery and will not return to public duties until Easter.

The rumor mill was sparked by William’s decision not to attend a memorial service in Windsor for undisclosed personal reasons, despite the Palace insisting the princess is still recovering well.

But the prince’s decision and the lack of explanation for it revealed how high-risk the “strategy of silence” is. Unfortunately, when there is no information, rumors and speculations are quickly “born”.

Conspiracy theories dominated social media all week. Former Palace communications secretary Ailsa Anderson said the intense interest in the royals is nothing new. She had dozens of phone calls when Prince Philip attended an engagement with a cast on his arm. But the comparison between the king and Kate is unfair, according to her.

“He is the monarch. He is very, very open about his treatment. We still don’t know what kind of cancer she has, but we don’t have the same level of wild speculation on social media and in the press that the Princess of Wales has. People should literally leave her alone.”

A few years ago we were informed that William would not follow the royal line, “never complain never explain”. He wants to be more “open”. However, there is a “red line” when it comes to his family, wife and children.

Kate and William

His anger was palpable when photographers found themselves outside the hospital where his wife was being treated and were politely told it would be best to leave.

We haven’t seen the princess since Christmas day. It’s a long time and it’s inevitable that people want to know more. With other big royal events coming up soon, such as the Easter Sunday service, anticipation for when we will see her will be at its peak.

However, what has become clear is that William is not going to change his stance on their family privacy, no matter how raucous the speculation gets.