Public royal Princess Kate went private: Abdominal surgery, photo scandal has rumors flying

LONDON – Under gray skies, a gaggle of tourists peer through the black and gold gates of Buckingham Palace to stare at the seat of the British monarchy.

That's always been the case, but the intensity of such scrutiny has been ratcheted up of late with Princess Kate, whose disappearance from public life coupled with a series of photo editing scandals have both intrigued and exasperated royal watchers around the globe.

News is scant. Sightings are rare. And into that vacuum has poured an avalanche of intrigue propelled by a gale of guesswork.

Strolling around the capital these days, you'll find those who feel Kate's health is none of the world's business and others who, out of concern or curiosity, are drawn in by the royal puzzle.

People who normally leave conspiracy theories to conspirators, and whose only photography experience is with a smartphone, suddenly are experts in both Photoshop and the royal family. Friends, whose interest in the royals has been only via the fictional "The Crown," now confess their group chats are overrun with questions over whether the princess looks thinner, if Prince William is possibly having an affair and if King Charles is really alive.

On Wednesday, the U.K. media machine had kicked into high gear again over double trouble. A Christmas photo of the queen shot by Princess Catherine had been deemed to have been digitally edited, and false reports suggested King Charles III was dead. The king promptly held a special audience at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday for veterans of the Korean War, to make abundantly clear he was very much alive.

Meanwhile, the tabloid Sun had a half-page splash interview with a local who saw Kate "with my own eyes" shopping at a farm stand Saturday.

Princess Kate's surgery, time out of the spotlight prompts privacy concerns

News also emerged late Tuesday that someone at the hospital where Kate had been treated accessed or tried to access her medical records, leading to a flood of stories about the possible privacy breach – which could carry criminal penalties.

"People back home are texting me every day asking me what's going on with her, I've gotten fully invested," says Carrie Parker of Oklahoma City, who stopped at the palace gates this week while on vacation with her husband and sons.

While Parker says her own interest in Princess Kate was minimal before arriving, her interest has been piqued now as she joins a growing cohort of online sleuths. Parker says among the rumors she has heard – and there are many – is one suggesting the princess is being treated for an eating disorder. But the rumors are just that: rumors.

"I don't know, of course, but whatever it is I just want her to get the rest and self-care she needs," she says.

That would include, in the eyes of many Britons, a rest from the media, which are particularly invasive in England. Many reacted angrily to questions from a USA TODAY reporter when asked about Princess Kate's condition.

"It's all a lot of conspiracy theories, isn't it?" says Patricia Barker, 81, out for a walk with a friend in central London. "If she doesn't want to say anything about what's happening in her life – if she wants to be private – she should be able to."

Of course, heightening the tension and drama is the fact that King Charles III is largely absent from daily royal life as he battles undisclosed cancer discovered during prostate treatment.

That has left his son Prince William with an increased workload, particularly since his wife isn't available at the moment to help out.

Royal questions emerge: Prince William and Camilla are taking charge amid Charles, Kate's absence. Is it sustainable?

"Everyone seems to have a big imagination," says Gabby Killick, a comedian who had spent the day in front of Buckingham Palace interviewing people about Kate and the royals.

Among the theories she heard during the course of the day, she says, were "Kate is transitioning, and we support her, or she's had a bad haircut and is hiding because of it, or she's just discovered the 'Real Housewives' franchise and is binging it," Killick says with a laugh.

"Every age group seemed to have a different take on it," she says. "Some people certainly felt that we should leave them alone, but others felt that since the people pay their salary, it is our business."

Longtime royal expert Patricia Treble begs to differ.

"People are treating the royals as celebrities, and they are not celebrities," says Treble, who blogs at WriteRoyalty.com and whose work has appeared in Toronto newspapers and TV outlets. "These are jobs for life, jobs that are not about self-promotion as with a normal celebrity, but rather a job focused on a duty to country, state and monarchy."

Although Treble agrees that the silence, visual and otherwise, surrounding Kate is "unusual," she adds that "it is her personal preference. And after all, if you had major surgery, would you want to be photographed?"

That said, Kate was never shy about being photographed outside the hospital shortly after delivering each of her three children, photos that now are being poured over by those inflamed by the mystery of her recent invisibility.

"You have to draw a line somewhere, and (releasing few if any photos) is where she drew it," Treble says.

What is going on with Princess Kate? Understanding the royal fervor around family photos, farmer's market video

For those wondering what the fuss is truly about, the present royal drama was set in motion in December. Princess Kate's last official appearance in her royal duties occurred during the family's annual visit to Christmas services at St. Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham in Norfolk, England, where she appeared with her husband Prince William and their children, Prince George, 10; Princess Charlotte, 8; and Prince Louis, 5.

On Jan. 17, Kensington Palace announced that Kate underwent a "successful" abdominal surgery and was expected to remain hospitalized for two weeks. Kate asked for privacy amid her recovery, and a statement from her office noted she would return to public duties around Easter on March 31, now less than two weeks away. The palace announced she returned home two weeks after her surgery on Jan. 29.

In late February, after a month of convalescing at home at Kensington Palace, her press handlers released a statement meant to beat back rising speculation about her health. She is "doing well," a spokesperson for the royal told People and ABC News in a statement.

On March 10, Mother's Day in England, Princess Kate, a keen photographer, returned to Instagram with a family photo, said to have been taken by Prince William, that included her children. But that gesture of thanks for the public's support over the past months made news when, a day later, several major photo agencies retracted the photo because it had been manipulated in almost imperceptible ways.

"Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing," Princess Kate posted on X. "I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused."

Then on Monday, a video purporting to show Kate and her husband strolling through a farmer's market was published by TMZ and The Sun. But neither royal press officials nor those connected with the Windsor Farm Mart, where the video was allegedly taken last week, would comment on the images.

And finally on Tuesday, another photo, this one taken by Catherine last year and which featured the late Queen Elizabeth II and various grandchildren, was also pulled by agencies for having been manipulated.

While photo manipulation would seem to imply something nefarious, such as replacing one person in a given photo, that is not likely the case, says Carolyn Harris, co-editor of "English Consorts: Power, Influence and Dynasty," and a professor at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies.

"Catherine has a longstanding interest in photography," she says, adding that the Princess of Wales studied the medium while at university, curated photo exhibitions and was the in-house photographer at her parents' company, Party Pieces. She also frequently shares family photos she has taken. "She likely has experience with photo editing as well."

Harris is sure that as soon as Kate does return to her public duties, "the speculation regarding her extended absence from public life will likely diminish." However, should she not, as planned, return to public life in a few weeks, "speculation will only increase regarding the state of her health and the decisions being made behind palace doors."

Princess Diana comparisons surround the former Kate Middleton

When in London, a popular tourist pastime is to take the 7-mile Princess Diana Walk, which passes in front of Buckingham Palace and winds its way through the Kelly green fields of Hyde Park where the daffodils are out in all their glory.

The former Princess of Wales, who died in that tragic Paris car accident in 1997, is often on the minds of those contemplating the current princess. That includes Zandy Dyler, 77, of Surrey in British Columbia, Canada.

She hasn't been paying any particular attention to the questions that have swirled but she can understand why British people might feel protective of the woman who will be their future queen.

"I think they feel an empathy for Kate because they see a kinship between her and Princess Diana. Both of them were outsiders to royalty," she says. "They're concerned and they worry for her."

The parallels between Princess Kate and Princess Diana are front and center for people in France, said Camille Cochet, 21, who lives in Paris.

"We don't think we can possibly know the truth of what's happening but there is much speculation and discussion about Kate in the press," she says. "The French people do a lot of thinking about Diana and Kate. It was a huge issue because Diana was very loved and respected in France, and, of course, she died there. So we are talking a lot about her."

All that talk is part of the problem. Chalk that up to a generational shift coupled with the advent of social media, as the two often combine to make people feel as if they are entitled to the latest information about just about anyone.

That certainly wasn't the case when the late Queen Elizabeth II had her first children, says royal expert Treble.

"The queen stepped back, and no one batted an eyelash," she says. "Now, someone wants some privacy and all we get is conspiracy theories."

Out walking the overcast streets with her boyfriend is Tami Adegbite, 19. She's also heard her fair share of rumors, which include "William is having an affair, his mistress is pregnant, Kate wants to leave but she can't…"

She pauses a moment before summing up the sentiment of many. "But you can't know, not really. I hope she's OK. It's sad."

Contributing: Jay Stahl

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kate Middleton missing? Frenzy surrounds princess, royal family