Kate Middleton breaks cover: Smiling Princess of Wales is pictured with Prince William during a visit to a farm shop in an image that will silence the conspiracy theorists
Smiling and walking with her husband, a new image of the Princess of Wales will reassure fans that she is recovering well from her abdominal surgery.
The photo taken by a member of the public on Saturday shows William, 41, and Kate, 42, visiting the Windsor Farm Shop, a short drive from their home in Berkshire.
The princess looks healthy, happy and relaxed, carrying her own shopping bag and smilingly talking to her husband as the couple leaves the store and returns to their car, according to the image published by The sun.
They were not accompanied by their three children: Prince George, ten, Princess Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Prince Louis.
The couple have been deeply saddened in recent weeks by wild speculation and gossip on social media about Kate’s health and whereabouts.
Kate was seen smiling while carrying a white shopping bag during a trip with William to the local Welsh farm shop in Windsor
Kate, who is currently recovering from abdominal surgery, looked ‘happy, healthy and relaxed’ at The Windsor Farm Shop (pictured) – their favorite local store
The sighting at the Windsor store is an encouraging sign that Kate is taking her first steps towards a return to official royal engagements
This has since been reported in publications ranging from the New York Times to British Vogue – and has even become the subject of cruel mockery on US prime-time television.
Global superstars such as Kim Kardashian have added fuel to the fire with messages about Kate’s ‘disappearance’ to their millions of fans.
The debacle over the princess’s well-meaning Mother’s Day photo, which she later admitted she had tried to edit, only fueled more speculation.
This was preceded by William’s sudden announcement that he was withdrawing from his godfather’s memorial service last month due to what was only described as a “personal matter”, just 45 minutes before he was due to give a talk.
Set against the backdrop of the king’s cancer diagnosis, the drama has created a feverish atmosphere of gossip and conjecture around the royal family.
Sources close to Wales told the Mail they found the speculation hugely hurtful and difficult to deal with, but were determined to focus on what was important to them: their family and the Princess’s recovery.
The new images and video, which show the couple going about their normal lives, are expected to help calm many of the wilder rumors gripping people around the world.
The video was taken at 12.43pm on Saturday by a member of the public who was also at the farm shop, just a mile’s drive from the Adelaide Cottage home in Wales, on their Apple iPhone 12 Pro phone.
The person involved said they were visiting the store to ‘kill time’ as they met someone on the way to buy an item from Facebook, when they recognized William and Kate and noticed how ‘happy’ they looked.
William and Kate were spotted leaving Windsor for Westminster Abbey last Monday to attend the Commonwealth Day Service. She has now been seen four times in two weeks
Her Mother’s Day portrait was edited by the Princess of Wales to create the perfect family photo. But conspiracy theorists have used it to question everything about Kate’s health
They saw the couple again in the parking lot and decided to make a video to share with their own delighted family.
“When I went in, I looked around and saw them. They all looked happy,” said the person, who wished to remain anonymous.
“To be honest, I don’t follow this kind of news, but I shared the video with my family. They said, ‘Oh, she’s alive!’ ‘
The prince and princess are both dressed casually and each carry a white shopping bag in their left hand.
Kate wears black leggings, tucked into socks and sneakers, with a zip-up top and wears her hair down.
William is wearing jeans, sneakers and a jacket with a baseball cap pulled low over his forehead.
As they chatted, the couple – who will celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary in April – couldn’t look happier.
And the fact that the princess seems to be walking so easily suggests that she is very much on the mend.
On January 17, Kensington Palace announced that Kate had been admitted to the London Clinic in Marylebone, central London, the day before for a “planned abdominal operation.”
It was said that the operation had been successful but would result in a two-week stay in hospital before a period of lengthy recovery at home.
Her spokesperson added that, based on current medical advice, it is unlikely she will resume her public duties until after Easter.
The couple are said to have visited the farm after watching their three children – George, 10, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five – playing sports. Pictured: Kate with Louis and Charlotte in May 2023
King Charles III (dressed in his Welsh Guards uniform) watches a flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Color on June 17, 2023 in London. He hopes to attend this year, the Mail announced today
That advice has not changed.
A spokesperson said it was the princess’s personal wish to keep her medical information private and said she would only provide an update if there was “significant new information to share.”
However, their clear statement did not stop social media and foreign publications, websites and television from speculating wildly about the whereabouts of the princess and what might have happened to her. The hashtag #whereiskate started trending.
Even the BBC website covered the issue, highlighting the bizarre speculation under the headline: ‘A royal dilemma as public curiosity about Kate’s health grows.’
Some of it was farcical, including the oft-repeated rumor that she is recovering from a “Brazilian butt lift” or hiding out after a bad haircut.
However, other claims have been downright insulting, including one by a journalist on Spanish television that she has been in a coma which has received enormous international attention and had to be openly denied by Kensington Palace.
However, trolls and conspiracy theorists have continued to this day to use her absence and the lawlessness of social media to spread deeply sinister and highly defamatory claims.
A spokesperson recently reiterated their previous advice that they would not provide a “running commentary” on the princess’ health.
“From our perspective, we were very clear from our statement at the start of this in January that the Princess of Wales intended to remain out of public action until after Easter and that has not changed,” they said.