Are we really such fools as to swallow these absurd conspiracy theories about Kate Middleton? The speculation has become so feverish – about where she is, what she is doing, how she is employing Photoshop – that many seemingly sane people appear to have lost possession of their critical faculties.

It’s actually a brilliant case of misinformation, disinformation and completely cooked guesswork spreading globally then feeding on its own memes, citing echoes as evidence. Even when the princess has appeared in public, thousands – including a BBC reporter – seem convinced she would boldly have employed a body double. Twice.

Let me make three simple points about this.

First, Middleton claimed she was taking time off to have significant, serious abdominal surgery and would not be appearing again for official duties until after Easter to recover properly. Fair enough, you’d imagine, even for a member of the royal family, to prioritise physical health for a while. She didn’t disappear suddenly, without explanation – we were told she would be out of the public eye, and we were asked to respect her privacy. But it’s not even Easter yet, and the demands for her to show herself, release her medical records, reveal all, bare her scars, seem a bit odd given she asked for privacy for a bit.

Again, yes, she is a privileged princess, but also a human.

When Kensington Palace put out a statement explaining she would be taking time off for health reasons, the instructions were clear: “The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate. She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private.”

Proof of life? Not according to those wedded to conspiracy theories.Credit: The SUN

Now claims that hospital staff at The London Clinic tried to access Middleton’s health records are being investigated by police. How revolting. Is it really our right to know everything about a person in the public eye? We bang on about the importance of safeguarding mental health, yet fail to register what this kind of pressure has on someone who – no matter how famous – is enduring significant health challenges, and what it might do to their mind and equilibrium.

I’d wager a guess that anyone who has actually had significant surgery requiring a decent recovery period would be far more sympathetic to Middleton’s current plight than someone who may not have clocked how important it is to be quiet, to rest, to heal.