The Internet Is Memeing Kate Middleton’s Disappearance

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What’s going on with Kate Middleton? Kensington Palace has assured us that the Princess of Wales is recovering from a successful, planned abdominal surgery, but the meme-makers of the internet aren’t fully convinced. Kensington Palace previously announced on January 17 that Middleton had undergone surgery and would be returning home after a hospital stay, adding that she wanted to keep her medical details private (though her office did reportedly confirm to NBC that it wasn’t cancer). The statement noted that she would likely not be able to return to public duties until after Easter. But the fact that she apparently hasn’t even by spotted by British tabloids since Christmas Day 2023 has concerned certain corners of the internet.

When Prince William skipped a royal ceremony due to a “personal matter” on Tuesday, some began speculating that his wife’s health has taken a turn for the worse. That same day, however, a palace aide stated that Middleton is “doing well.” Instead of dwelling on darker possibilities, much of the internet appears to be trying to get through the uncertainty by making jokes about the real reason for Middleton’s prolonged absence. For better or for worse, people are memeing their way through it. From BBLs to bad bangs, find the internet’s most outlandish conspiracy theories below.