Social Media Gossip Machine
If you’ve made the rounds on social media lately, you’ve probably seen the rampant speculation regarding everyone’s favorite recently reclusive royal, Kate Middleton. An edited family picture of the Princess of Wales and her children didn’t help quell the flames of curiosity, and in fact, probably just fed the conspiracy fire.
Even following an appearance in public with Prince William to buy groceries last weekend, the Kate Middle conspiracy parade marches on. and there’s a likely suspect — social media. According to a piece by The Wall Street Journal, the old royal adage of dealing with the media of “never complain, never explain” doesn’t always work well in a world in which anyone with an account can say whatever they’d like to add to the rumor mill.
Royal Family Ignores The Mill
The palace usually doesn’t dignify the rumor mill, but between the Princess Catherine situation and King Charles III’s recent, unspecified cancer diagnosis, the royal PR front has debunked some of the wilder rumors since the beginning of the year through press releases from the palace. One thing is clear — the nearly 1,000-year-old institution of the monarchy and its tradition of silence is being tested by social media and its power to spread rumors and misinformation.
Why it matters: While the British royals don’t always maintain the rosiest relationship with the tabloid-heavy British press, social media, with its light regulations, offers a freer place for individuals or organizations to effectively say anything about the royals. Social media (TikTok in particular) serves as a hotbed for Kate conspiracies, as one quick flip through the app will show you theories ranging from Kate being an effective prisoner in the palace to her hiding in Taylor Swift’s London home.