The public has been buzzing over a recent photo of Kate Middleton, which was published by the American tabloid TMZ. Despite not being shared by any British tabloids, the photo quickly made its way to social media, showing Kate wearing sunglasses in the passenger seat of a car.

After her “planned” abdominal surgery, the palace had cleared Kate’s schedule, leading the public to get excited when it was initially announced that she would make an earlier-than-expected public appearance. This was confirmed when the Minister of Defense stated that Kate Middleton would attend the Trooping the Colour dress rehearsal on June 8, ahead of the main event on June 15.

However, it was later revealed that this was a mistake, and the announcement of Kate’s potential royal duty return was removed from an Army website. According to GB News, Kensington Palace was “not consulted” about the Princess of Wales’ scheduled appearance.

The photo of Kate, published in American media, sparked even more speculation about her health. While the Palace tried to protect her privacy, the leaked photo has been seen as a failure in handling the situation.

Jack Royston, Newsweek’s chief royal correspondent, blamed the Palace for fueling speculation by being overly secretive. He explained that the secrecy created demand for the photo, leading to a financial incentive for photographers to take risks.

He said the Palace could have stopped the speculation earlier by simply providing a photo or video, even a casual one.