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Catherine, Princess of Wales' recent activities and whereabouts have once again become a subject of public discussion, with the emergence of new footage purportedly featuring the royal couple.
On March 18, a circulating video online appears to depict the former Kate Middleton and William, Prince of Wales, at a market in Windsor over the weekend. Despite the circulating footage, Kensington Palace has chosen not to offer any comment on the matter.
The video, released by The Sun and TMZ, seemingly captures Prince William and Kate in casual attire, casually exiting a shop. The Princess of Wales appears cheerful, clad in black leggings and a black hoodie, while carrying shopping bags.
According to Kensington Palace, Kate has been on an extended hiatus from public engagements and royal duties as she recuperates from a planned abdominal surgery conducted in January. Although the palace has refrained from providing extensive details regarding the procedure, a spokesperson confirmed that it was non-cancerous.
Furthermore, the palace previously stated to NBC News that Kate was "unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter."
Despite Kensington Palace's assurances regarding Kate's well-being and temporary withdrawal from royal duties, various conspiracy theories and speculations regarding her whereabouts and health have surfaced online.
"Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the Princess' recovery, and we'd only be providing significant updates," stated a spokesperson for the princess in a statement to NBC News. "That guidance remains in place."
There have been two reported sightings of Kate prior to this. On March 4, she was reportedly seen riding in an SUV, with her mother, Carole Middleton, behind the wheel. Additionally, on March 11, she and William were spotted leaving Windsor Castle in a Range Rover, although she was barely visible in the grainy photograph.
Rumors surrounding Kate intensified following a mishap with a U.K. Mother's Day photo featuring her three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Shortly after its release, numerous leading photo agencies issued "kill notices" for the family photo due to evident digital manipulation.
In response to the edited photo, Kate issued a statement on March 11, stating, "Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C."
According to Britain's The Sunday Times newspaper, citing unnamed "friends" in a March 16 article, Kate is aware of the media frenzy surrounding her.
Roya Nikkhah, the Sunday Times royals editor, stated on Yeppost on March 18 that the couple "are not immune to hearing some of the things going around in the media and social media, I think they’re finding that very hard."
The newspaper also suggested, in line with previous statements from Kensington Palace, that Kate would not be making public appearances until mid-April. Nikkhah reiterated this on YEPPOST, stating, "In terms of resuming public duties, that definitely won’t be until the children go back after their school holidays, and that’s on April the 17th."