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Recent reports have indicated a surge in online curiosity regarding the medical history of Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, before her cancer diagnosis. This surge has been partly fueled by a misinformation campaign originating from Russia.
Martin Innes, the director of Cardiff University’s Security, Crime and Intelligence Innovation Institute, shared his discoveries with major news outlets such as NBC News and The New York Times. According to his research, he identified 45 accounts associated with Doppelgänger, a Russian misinformation operation, engaging in discussions related to Princess Kate.
Innes clarified that while these Russian-linked accounts did not initiate the speculation about Kate Middleton’s health, they opportunistically capitalized on the existing attention to disseminate pro-Russia content and sow discord online.
“It’s not that these Russia-linked accounts were initiating the narrative; they were simply capitalizing on it,” Innes explained to NBC News. “The story was already being portrayed in conspiratorial terms, so foreign actors didn’t need to establish that frame — it was already present for them to exploit,” he further elucidated.
In emphasizing the broader implications, Innes highlighted, “It’s about causing instability and eroding trust in institutions like government, monarchy, and media. These narratives serve as perfect tools for achieving those goals.”
The discussion surrounding Princess Kate’s health escalated notably when Prince William unexpectedly missed a memorial event on February 27. It was later revealed that his absence was due to his wife’s cancer diagnosis following abdominal surgery in January.
Innes suggested that the involvement of Doppelgänger could be discerned from patterns such as the batch creation of account usernames with similar wording. These accounts often responded to posts about Princess Kate with messages that favored Russia and criticized Ukraine.
Sander van der Linden, a psychology professor at the University of Cambridge specializing in misinformation, characterized the speculation surrounding Princess Kate as an ideal breeding ground for conspiracy theories. He pointed out how a Mother’s Day photo of the Princess of Wales exacerbated the situation, sparking a public relations crisis.
Innes further speculated to The New York Times that Doppelgänger likely exploited online activity for both commercial and political gain. With Princess Kate absent from public view, rumors proliferated, providing ample opportunity for exploitation. Amplifying these posts allowed them to garner more attention and followers. Moreover, Russian media reportedly targeted similar misinformation campaigns toward King Charles.
Days before Princess Kate disclosed her cancer diagnosis, online discussions intensified regarding King Charles amidst false reports from Russian outlets claiming his death. The King, undergoing cancer treatment as announced by Buckingham Palace in February, postponed his public engagements.
On the same day, The Mirror reported the circulation of doctored death announcements from the palace online and on TikTok.
Promptly, the British Embassy in Ukraine refuted the Russian reports, issuing a statement denying the death of King Charles III.
Buckingham Palace reportedly rejected the rumors in a statement to the state-run Russian news agency TASS, confirming that “The King continues with official and private business,” as reported by the New York Post.
Recent reports from The New York Times and NBC have raised concerns from British officials about China and Iran spreading misinformation about Princess Kate, potentially aiming to destabilize the nation.
A former palace aide highlighted to PEOPLE that the incident involving the Mother’s Day photo underscores the constant demand for information about the royal family, describing it as a challenge of modern royal life. They noted that while there was no malicious intent, the incident spurred a strong desire for information, reflecting the complexities of being a modern royal.