Kate Middleton has been out of the public eye for months, and one royal expert claims the princess’ disappearance is not only due to her health but also her marriage.

Kate Middleton has caught worldwide attention for her disappearance. The Princess of Wales has not been spotted in public since December 2023, and as the face of the royal family, many are concerned. Kensington Palace revealed in mid-January that Kate had undergone abdominal surgery and would be out until at least March 31.

But in the last two months, Kate has not been spotted anywhere — not even at a store, taking a walk, etc. It’s led people to believe there is more to the story. And now, one royal expert claims his insiders are saying Kate’s absence is due to a “combination” of problems with her health and her marriage.

Kate Middleton | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Kate Middleton hasn’t been spotted in months

Kate’s PR team is working overtime. The Princess stirred up public interest after Prince William bailed on a memorial event at the last minute in late February. Then, the family heavily edited an image of Kate with her kids on Mother’s Day, prompting even more public outcry. And just after that, Kate was spotted in a car with William — but she was looking the other way. Speculation has ranged with everything from mental health struggles to marriage issues, and royal expert Rob Shuter told Good Day New York that his insiders think there are two things at play here.

“I think it’s a combination of both [health and marriage],” Shuter said. “Trouble in the marriage might have had a terrible effect on your health, which makes a lot of sense. There’s a bombshell report out today that it may in fact be an eating disorder, which we know Princess Diana suffered with, too. And that is something that they’d want to keep secret.”

Of course, nothing has been proven, so we can only speculate so much about what’s going on with the princess. “My sources are saying it’s really serious,” he said. “What’s going on with Kate is very serious.”

Kate Middleton with her son, Prince Louis | Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Getty Images

Will Kate Middleton return to royal duties after Easter as planned?

So far, the palace has not changed the date for Kate’s royal return — and that date is quickly approaching. Kate is supposed to return to royal duties around Easter 2024, which falls on March 31. Of course, she might have a few days’ grace period, but if she does not return by the first week of April — and the palace doesn’t explain why — then it’s safe to say that the conspiracy theories will reach new heights.

When Kate was released from the hospital, the royal family thanked the London Clinic for taking care of her and said that she was making good progress. It’s possible the conspiracy theories are just that – theories — and that there is zero truth to them. But it does seem clear that whatever Kate has gone through was quite serious.