A SHOT IN THE DARK

As if in answer to the speculation, a grainy image of Kate being driven by her mother, Carole Middleton, in Windsor was recently published on US celebrity news site TMZ.

The picture shows her wearing sunglasses and could have been taken after doing the school run. British sites and publications didn’t publish the picture, mindful of the rules governing the royal family’s privacy and out of respect for the princess.

The snap might have been proof that Kate was alive and recuperating – but it didn’t stop people from questioning whether the pic had been staged and demanding all over again to know what was going on.

Adding to the mystery is the fact that the British ministry of defence announced on its website that the Princess of Wales would be attending Trooping the Colour on 15 June, the annual ceremony to mark the birthday of the monarch. However, it seemed the department jumped the gun: within hours the announcement had been withdrawn on the orders of the Kensington Palace and there’s no confirmation about whether Kate will attend.

The palace, however, has steadfastly refused to give any more information.

“Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timeline of the princess’ recovery and that we’d only be providing significant updates,” a spokesperson says. “That guidance stands.”

Kate will not appear in public until “after Easter” – which is a pretty vague timeline, however you look at it.

‘THERE IS AN EXPECTATION FROM TAXPAYERS, WHO FUND THE ROYALS’ PRIVILEGED LIFESTYLE, OF THE RIGHT TO KNOW NOT JUST WHEN THINGS ARE GOING WELL WITH THE MONARCHY BUT WHEN THEY ARE NOT’