Why Prince William’s absence sent social media conspiracy theories into overdrive
The flip side of being more open about the royal family
It was, a royal source tells me, “nothing to panic about.” But Prince William’s last-minute absence from a memorial service to his late godfather King Constantine of the Hellenes quickly sparked a social media frenzy.
William had been due to give the second reading at the hour-long service, which drew a huge gathering of European royals to Windsor, but pulled out at the last minute due to a “personal matter”.
Given the recent royal health dramas, the announcement by Kensington Palace that he would no longer be attending left royal correspondents feeling somewhat jittery, despite assurances that his wife the Princess “continues to do well” in her recovery from abdominal surgery.
And it quickly fanned the flames of wild conspiracy theories about the royal family across X/Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Among the most ludicrous were demands for “proof of life” of the Princess, who quite understandably has been out of the spotlight since her surgery and has every right to recover in private.
William’s absence also generated an unexpected family photograph, which unfortunately provided further ammunition to the armchair experts and critics.
Prince Andrew was pictured apparently leading the gathering of British royals walking from the upper precinct of Windsor Castle to St George’s Chapel. (This was in part because royal protocol dictates that they arrive at events in reverse order of seniority.)
In fact, Queen Camilla was officially leading the Firm at the service, but arrived last, and separately, by car.
So it was unfortunate that the Prince of Wales was not at her side or leading the rest of his family down the well-trodden path to the Chapel as planned.