A ROYAL expert has said she was shocked by the US response to Princess Kate’s “missing”.
The Princess of Wales, 42, revealed in an emotional video message last week that she was undergoing preventive chemotherapy.
The announcement came after weeks of intense speculation and conspiracy theories on social media about Kate’s whereabouts and health.
Crowds of celebrities and internet trolls who spread bizarre speculation about Kate’s whereabouts then rushed to apologise.
Royal commentator Dickie Arbiter’s daughter Victoria, who spends much of her time in the US, discussed attitudes across the Atlantic following the brave images.
She told The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show: ‘I think there has been an element of shame. I have to say I’m shocked at the way the reporting unfolded.
“I think sometimes the royal family is a distraction from the domestic problems in the US.
‘It can occasionally be seen as a kind of soap opera. I think people just forgot their humanity in the process.
“It almost became a game of topping and I think it created an interesting split for the mainstream media.
“It’s one thing for us to say this is what’s happening on social media, but what is it when social media informs the news?”
Victoria claimed actress Blake Lively’s apology was the most ‘sincere’ after she mocked Kate’s edited Mother’s Day photo.
“I’m sure no one cares today, but I feel like I need to acknowledge this,” Blake wrote on her Instagram account.
“I made a silly post about the ‘Photoshop Fails’ frenzy, and oh man, that post bummed me out today.
‘I’m sorry. I always send love and good wishes to everyone.”
Fans told the 36-year-old, who is married to Wrexham owner Ryan Reynolds, that she should be “ashamed of herself”.
Victoria continued: “There were mainstream media personalities who people looked to for truth, authenticity and accuracy, using words like ‘missing’ and ‘disappeared’.
“I thought that was quite insidious because it gave legitimacy to those conspiracy theories and validated them.”
Fans have also called on Kim Kardashian to apologize for her Instagram post ‘On the way to find Kate’.
The reality star shared a series of photos on Instagram, but fans quickly spotted an ill-timed and thoughtless reference to the royal family.
Underneath the glamorous snaps, she said: “On our way to find Kate.”
Online rumors about Kate increased after William missed the memorial service of his godfather, the late King Constantine of Greece, on February 27 at very short notice.
Creeping celebrities spouting vile Kate conspiracies are shameful bullies, says royal expert
BAD celebrities who spread conspiracies about Princess Kate’s health should feel “ashamed”.
Hugo Vickers, royal historian, told The Sun: “The conspiracy theorists have been busy in recent days.
‘It says a lot about the mentality of these people. The high-profile people, but also the very irresponsible members of the general public who were also somewhat involved.
‘It was extremely unappealing because we all love the Princess of Wales and she has done a fantastic job.
“She is truly impeccable in everything she has done since marrying Prince William.”
The expert added that all the mean trolling and ‘Katespiracies’ would have “made things much more difficult” than they already were.
“I think very simply: they should be very ashamed,” he added.
“I think quite a few people have stepped up and apologized, and rightly so.
“This is not something you should joke about or attach yourself to all kinds of absurd theories.”
“You’re always going to have conspiracy theories because if you’re a conspiracy theorist that’s what you do,” Mr Vickers continued.
‘There will always be people who come up with theories and they always will, so you can’t stop doing it.
‘I think anyone who comes up with some ridiculous theory about the princess will get very short shrift.
“And so I imagine they’re going to be run into the ground, to be quite honest, because in a sense they’re bullies. They push it all the time.
“And as someone rightly said years ago, inside every bully is a coward desperately trying to stay in.”
It is now clear that the prince’s decision not to attend was related to his wife’s condition, but it is not known when the princess was told about the positive test for cancer.
Further speculation arose after the princess admitted to ‘editing’ her official Mother’s Day photo, which contained irregularities.
In a further development, the UK’s privacy watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office, launched an investigation into allegations that attempts had been made to access Kate’s personal medical records at the London Clinic where she was operated on.
It comes after The Sun revealed the #SussexSquad made bizarre claims about Kate in defense of their heroine, Meghan Markle.
Their hate campaign began when they spread sick conspiracy theories surrounding Kate’s abdominal surgery, claiming she was a victim of domestic violence, in the middle of a divorce from Prince William or hiding out after plastic surgery.
Even when the princess bravely told the world last week that she was undergoing chemotherapy, cyberbullies claimed her video was AI-generated.
Behind some of the worst trolling is a group who use the hashtag #Sussexsquad and have made bizarre claims about Kate in defense of their heroine, the Duchess of Sussex.
There is no suggestion that the group of trolls are endorsed by The Sussexes.
Their main cheerleader is American tech entrepreneur Christopher Bouzy, who appeared in the Sussexes’ Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan to stoke online hate.
When it was announced in January that the princess was undergoing surgery, he posted a video of a gymnast doing backflips, captioning it: “Kate Middleton this weekend.”
The self-styled Sussex Squad claims The Sun’s exclusive video of Kate visiting a farm shop in Windsor features a body double or lookalike.
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Timeline of Kate’s health struggles and recovery
JANUARY 16: Kate is admitted to the London Clinic for abdominal surgery
JANUARY 17TH: Kensington Palace announces that the princess has undergone surgery
JANUARY 18: William spends time at Kate’s bedside
JANUARY 23: The princess’s hospital stay lasts a week
JANUARY 29: Kate leaves the hospital
FEBRUARY 27: Prince William withdraws from service at the last minute due to ‘personal matters’, sparking a wave of baseless conspiracy theories about Kate’s health
4TH OF MARCH: Princess pictured in car with mother Carole at Windsor estate
10TH OF MARCH: Royal posts a sweet photo of her and the kids for Mother’s Day – then fans started noticing flaws, and huge agencies posted a ‘kill message’ on photo
11 MARCH: Kate admits she edited the photo and is photographed in the car with William
MARCH 16: Royal fans spotted the princess in a farm shop near Windsor
17TH OF MARCH: Onlookers see Kate watching her children play sports
18TH OF MARCH: The Sun exclusively published a video of Kate and Wills from two days earlier
March 22nd: Kate has released a video revealing she is being treated for abdominal surgery