Kate Middleton Grapples With 'Great Deal of Suffering' in Wake of Public Backlash

The princess was reportedly caught off guard by the negative responses to her latest video.

By Michael Hein

Kate Middleton was caught off guard by the negative responses to her positive health announcement last month, according to a report by In Touch Weekly. A source close to the Princess of Wales said that she saw some criticism of the video where she announced that she has completed her chemotherapy treatment and is returning to work. Middleton has years of experience insulating herself from negative media coverage and social media commentary, but this instance reportedly caught her by surprise.

"This has served as a brutal reminder for Kate that there's always going to be cynicism when she puts herself into the public eye," the anonymous insider said. "As much as she's trying to avoid reading anything negative, it's hard to ignore that some people are saying she was 'pulling a Meghan' and that the video was over the top and too choreographed. Kate's someone who does take the public perception very seriously. She works so hard never to put a foot wrong, and that's why she's usually so universally praised. She doesn't take it for granted and appreciates it, but she's also gotten used to being one of the favorite members of the family as far as the public and press are concerned."

Middleton was one of the most active members of the British royal family before this year, especially when it came to public appearances. In January, she underwent a "planned abdominal surgery" that kept her away from work for longer than expected, and in March she revealed that she had been diagnosed with cancer during the procedure. She underwent a round of "preventative chemotherapy" along with other treatments, but the details were kept intentionally vague for her privacy. Middleton took pains to avoid the public eye for most of this year, and having her return criticized this way reportedly "causes her a great deal of suffering."

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"The whole incident with her fake photo scandal earlier this year was a nightmare for her, and it came at such a hard time in her life when she wasn't well and hadn't shared the news," the source said. "She admitted it was a mistake, that she never should have used photoshop, and took responsibility. But this time she doesn't feel she deserves the criticism. She's genuinely stunned that people are trying to tear her down when she was so authentic and raw. It's hurtful and she's now retreating and reconsidering her stance on being so open going forward."

The video in question featured clips of Middleton with her husband Prince William and their three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – celebrating and enjoying some time outdoors. Some commenters found the video to be contrived and inauthentic, with emotional appeals that didn't really land. However, many comments simply congratulated Middleton and praised her return to public-facing duties. Both Middleton and King Charles III are still operating at reduced capacity under the advisement of their doctors.

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