The internet is buzzing with conspiracy theories about the photoshopped images of Kate Middleton, and now I can’t help but wonder: Where on earth is Kate Middleton?
The internet is buzzing with conspiracy theories about the photoshopped images of Kate Middleton, and now I can’t help but wonder: Where on earth is Kate Middleton?
For those not up to speed, the British princess has almost disappeared from the public eye since being hospitalized in December of last year for abdominal surgery. On mother’s day, Kensington Palace released a photo of Kate Middleton and her children that was exposed as being heavily photoshopped, further fueling public concern about her well-being and whereabouts.
Why do I think this matters?
The hashtags #whereiskate, #katebodydouble, and #katemiddleton are blowing up, reaching a whopping 400 million people in just one week. Instagram is the main stage for this drama, with over 80% of mentions, while TikTok is catching up at 5%. Posts with these hashtags are going viral, racking up 2.3 million shares and 2.2 million likes.
All this to say, in today’s digital jungle, audiences are — more than ever before — not just passive spectators; they are savvy investigators. I’ve written about this at length in The Kim Kardashian Principle. And, I do believe the Kate Middleton photoshopping scandal serves as a reminder of this. While Kensington Palace insists she is recovering well from her surgery, audiences remain skeptical and are demanding more transparency and authenticity.
