BBC reporter Sonja McLaughlan fuels conspiracy theories by claiming woman seen with Prince William in farm shop video is ‘clearly not Kate’
- Prince William and Kate were seen at The Windsor Farm Shop on Saturday
A BBC reporter has apparently fueled conspiracy theories about the Princess of Wales by claiming the woman seen with Prince William during a visit to a farm shop last weekend is ‘clearly not Kate’.
Kate was filmed carrying shopping bags and walking quickly alongside her husband as they visited the Windsor store, a mile away from their home, Adelaide Cottage.
These were the first images of the future queen since her abdominal surgery in January. While the film came as a relief to millions of people, others around the world continued to allege insane conspiracy theories – with trolls claiming it wasn’t Kate.
The broadcaster’s sports reporter Sonja McLaughlan appeared to promote the wild suggestions, repeating the online theory that Prince William was not shopping with his wife, but with a look-alike.
She then suggested in a now-deleted tweet that even the heir apparent could have been replaced by an actor.
Prince William and Kate were seen this weekend visiting The Windsor Farm Shop, close to their home. Pictured: The couple pictured together in October last year
Today BBC sports reporter Sonja McLaughlan appeared to join conspiracy theorists online who claimed the woman in the video was ‘clearly not’ the Princess of Wales
In a now-deleted tweet, the BBC reporter claimed that ‘it’s clearly not her’ as she tweeted about Kate’s appearance
Ms McLaughlan wrote: ‘Disturbing that newspapers like The Times are reporting this as fact. Headline ‘Kate seen in public for the first time’ when it’s clearly not her. As someone said. It could be a couple of doppelgängers getting up to mischief.”
Commenting on a video comparing the princess in the images to other previous photos of herself, the BBC freelance journalist added: ‘It’s so clearly not Kate. Some newspapers report it as fact.
‘But it’s not her. Not a conspiracy theorist, but all very strange.’
However, earlier today, Britain’s ‘most realistic’ Kate Middleton lookalike debunked ‘crazy’ conspiracy theories that it is her in the farm shop video rather than the real Princess of Wales.
Heidi Agan, 43, who has made a living impersonating the royal for more than a decade, said she believes the images are “100 percent” to be Kate and William.
“There has obviously been some speculation about whether it was Kate and William in those images and photos,” she told The Mirror.
“Actually, my own social media has gone crazy because people think it’s me, but I know it’s not. I was working at the time, so I know it’s not me. “I 100% believe it’s Kate Middleton and William in that video.”
“So she’s alive, and we can be sure of that. It has all gone too far now,” she added.
Kate Middleton lookalike Heidi Agan (pictured) has debunked the ‘crazy’ conspiracy theory that it’s her in a farm shop video of the Prince and Princess of Wales
Kate’s appearance, first reported by the Sun, marked the first time Kate has been seen in public since scheduled abdominal surgery in January.
Despite Kensington Palace setting out a clear timeline for the Princess’s recovery – with her return to the public eye expected after the end of the Easter holidays – online trolls have sparked bizarre theories.
Baseless and hurtful conspiracy theories spread about her online include that she is dead, has been replaced by a body double or that Wales’ marriage is in trouble.
A royal source told the Telegraph: ‘Finally everyone can calm down.’
The BBC declined to comment.