After Princess Catherine of Wales recently announced that she was battling a health issue, fans began responding to the news on social media. While there were some fans who expressed genuine care and concern for the princess, there were others who developed their own theories about what is going on within the royal family.

Princess Catherine at the Christmas Morning Service at Sandringham Church on December 25, 2023 in Sandringham, Norfolk | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine at the Christmas Morning Service at Sandringham Church on December 25, 2023 in Sandringham, Norfolk.

Princess Catherine at Outfit Moray, an award-winning charity in Moray, Scotland on November 02, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine at Outfit Moray, an award-winning charity in Moray, Scotland on November 02, 2023.

Princess Catherine recently announced that she had been battling a cancer diagnosis after being notably absent from the public eye since January. The princess asked for privacy as she dealth with this challenge. The public’s reaction to this news has been a mixture of compassion, speculation, and some suspicion, leading to a series of rumors about the state of her marriage to Prince William.

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the "The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance" ceremony at Royal Albert Hall, in London, on November 11, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the „The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance” ceremony at Royal Albert Hall, in London, on November 11, 2023

Princess Catherine and Prince William at Outfit Moray, an award-winning charity in Moray, Scotland on November 02, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William at Outfit Moray, an award-winning charity in Moray, Scotland on November 02, 2023

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the SportsAid mental fitness workshop at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre to mark World Mental Health Day on October 12, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the SportsAid mental fitness workshop at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre to mark World Mental Health Day on October 12, 2023

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the SportsAid mental fitness workshop at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre to mark World Mental Health Day on October 12, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the SportsAid mental fitness workshop at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre to mark World Mental Health Day on October 12, 2023

Social media has been particularly abuzz with chatter, where one tweet starkly stated, „Now I know they’re getting a divorce. they’re probably already separated on paper.” The absence of Prince William at Princess Catherine’s side during the announcement seemed to strike a chord with the public.

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the Grange Pavilion to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month on October 03, 2023. | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the Grange Pavilion to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month on October 03, 2023.

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the Grange Pavilion to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month on October 03, 2023. | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the Grange Pavilion to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month on October 03, 2023.

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the Grange Pavilion to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month on October 03, 2023. | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the Grange Pavilion to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month on October 03, 2023.

The royal family has been accused of withholding the truth, with comments about the situation ranging from concern to outright disbelief. Responses to the initial tweet echoed these sentiments, with phrases like „Kate had marital problems” and „valid point” surfacing amongst the conversation.

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the Grange Pavilion to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month on October 03, 2023. | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the Grange Pavilion to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month on October 03, 2023.

Princess Catherine and Prince William at a a service to commemorate the life of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at St Davids Cathedral on September 8, 2023 in St Davids, Wales | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William at a a service to commemorate the life of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at St Davids Cathedral on September 8, 2023 in St Davids, Wales.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistlers 2025's One Year To Go Winter Training Camp on February 15, 2024 | Source: Getty Images

The conjecture took a personal turn when individuals contrasted the behavior of Prince William with that of his brother, Harry. Observers pointed out that if Meghan Markle were in a similar situation, Harry would likely be right there, offering his hand for her to hold. The debate grew as people shared their observations, „it’s weird” that William was not by her side, which they believe most husbands would be in such circumstances.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistlers 2025's One Year To Go Winter Training Camp on February 14, 2024 | Source: Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistlers 2025’s One Year To Go Winter Training Camp on February 14, 2024.

Princess Catherine and Prince William at a a service to commemorate the life of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at St Davids Cathedral on September 8, 2023 in St Davids, Wales | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William at a a service to commemorate the life of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at St Davids Cathedral on September 8, 2023 in St Davids, Wales.

These online discussions quickly escalated as the public attempted to piece together the narrative, with another individual stating, that if Princess Catherine was well enough to sit down to give a statement about her health, she must also be well enough to sit down to take a photo with her husband. The commenter concluded that the entire statement was a facade for something else.

King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Catherine before the  The Diplomatic Reception in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace on December 05, 2023 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Catherine before the The Diplomatic Reception in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace on December 05, 2023 in London, England.

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London on November 30, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London on November 30, 2023.

The X conversation was sparked after a CNN video surfaced showing a doctor talking about Princess Catherine’s condition. Anderson Cooper, conducting the interview with the doctor, asked how it was possible for Princess Catherine to get a cancer diagnosis after undergoing surgery.

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London on November 30, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London on November 30, 2023.

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London on November 30, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London on November 30, 2023.

The doctor began by saying that the press release „doesn’t make a lot of medical sense,” saying that when someone goes in for a major surgery, such as the surgery Princess Catherine underwent in January, they typically didn’t go back under the knife for „exploratory surgery.”

Prince William and Princess Catherine at a ceremonial welcome, at Horse Guards Parade, for the President and the First Lady of the Republic of Korea on day 1 of their state visit on November 21, 2023 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

Prince William and Princess Catherine at a ceremonial welcome, at Horse Guards Parade, for the President and the First Lady of the Republic of Korea on day 1 of their state visit on November 21, 2023 in London, England.

Prince William and Princess Catherine at a ceremonial welcome, at Horse Guards Parade, for the President and the First Lady of the Republic of Korea on day 1 of their state visit on November 21, 2023 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

Prince William and Princess Catherine at a ceremonial welcome, at Horse Guards Parade, for the President and the First Lady of the Republic of Korea on day 1 of their state visit on November 21, 2023 in London, England.

The doctor also shared that all of the surgeries that Princess Catherine would have undergone would have been preceded by „extensive imaging” like CAT scans and MRIs. This imaging would have given Princess Catherine’s surgical team a good understanding of her health status and how they were going to handle it, which would then be confirmed by pathologists.

Prince William and Princess Catherine at a ceremonial welcome, at Horse Guards Parade, for the President and the First Lady of the Republic of Korea on day 1 of their state visit on November 21, 2023 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

Prince William and Princess Catherine at a ceremonial welcome, at Horse Guards Parade, for the President and the First Lady of the Republic of Korea on day 1 of their state visit on November 21, 2023 in London, England.

Prince William and Princess Catherine at a ceremonial welcome, at Horse Guards Parade, for the President and the First Lady of the Republic of Korea on day 1 of their state visit on November 21, 2023 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

Prince William and Princess Catherine at a ceremonial welcome, at Horse Guards Parade, for the President and the First Lady of the Republic of Korea on day 1 of their state visit on November 21, 2023 in London, England.

Princess Catherine and Prince William at a a service to commemorate the life of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at St Davids Cathedral on September 8, 2023 in St Davids, Wales | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William at a a service to commemorate the life of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at St Davids Cathedral on September 8, 2023 in St Davids, Wales

He explained that often during surgery, the organ or tissue of concern would be sent to pathologists, and whether or not it was cancerous would dictate how the remainder of the operation and treatment would go. The doctor shared: „It’s very likely that the surgical team knew or had a good sense of what this was going to be prior to surgery.”

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the SportsAid mental fitness workshop at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre to mark World Mental Health Day on October 12, 2023 | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William at the SportsAid mental fitness workshop at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre to mark World Mental Health Day on October 12, 2023

Prince William, Princess Catherine, and Prince Harry at the The London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay | Source: Getty Images

In the midst of the online tumult, a user brought attention to Kate’s uncle, mentioning that he had provided some insights. He reminisced about how Harry, William, and Kate once formed a „happy little trio” which, according to him, was „totally ruined” after Harry married Meghan. This personal touch added fuel to the speculative fire, with many bracing for what they presumed would be an imminent announcement of a divorce between Catherine and William.

Princess Catherine and Prince William with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis at the Christmas Morning Service at Sandringham Church on December 25, 2023 in Sandringham, Norfolk | Source: Getty Images

Princess Catherine and Prince William with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis at the Christmas Morning Service at Sandringham Church on December 25, 2023 in Sandringham, Norfolk.

Prince William and Princess Catherine with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis at the Royal Carols - Together At Christmas service at Westminster Abbey on December 8, 2023 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

Prince William and Princess Catherine with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis at the Royal Carols – Together At Christmas service at Westminster Abbey on December 8, 2023 in London, England.

Prince William and Princess Catherine with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis at the Royal Carols - Together At Christmas service at Westminster Abbey on December 8, 2023 in London, England | Source: Getty Images

According to Kate’s uncle, while the children of the couple bring immense joy, it does not negate the complexities and challenges they face. The implication of discord, as expressed in the quote, paints a picture of a relationship that, in the eyes of some, appears strained. The person who tweeted Princess Catherine’s uncle’s statement said that he provided an interesting look into their lives.