The royal family is “perilously” close to entering its 11th hour, according to an expert and the late Princess Diana’s close friend.
Richard Kay sent the Firm a dire warning as speculation over Kate Middleton and King Charles’ respective health woes continue to swirl.
With senior members of the royal family pulling back from the fold one at a time over myriad health issues, the monarchy has faced a difficult start to the year.
The royal family (Queen Camilla, from left, King Charles, Prince William and Princess Catherine) is “perilously” close to entering its 11th hour, according to an expert and the late Princess Diana’s close friend. Getty Images For Buckingham PalaceAnd according to Kay, the family needs to get their “act together or lose public confidence” before it’s too late.
“The photograph issue, while small in itself, nevertheless exposed tensions that lie close to the surface in the family, as well as the fragility of an institution that for decades seemed impervious to any external threat,” Kay wrote in the Daily Mail.
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“But if we are not quite at the 11th hour, we are perilously close. There still may be time for the high tide of public disapproval to recede, but the cost to the royal image and to individual reputations has been high.”
“Yet the problems go beyond the two medical emergencies. Family cohesion and other certainties that we once took for granted are fast disappearing,” he added.
For the Princess of Wales, 2024 has so far been nothing short of chaos.
After having abdominal surgery in January, the mom of three, 42, was forced to issue an apology after she released a doctored family photo for UK Mother’s Day on March 10.
Middleton was forced to issue an apology after she released a doctored family photo for UK Mother’s Day on March 10. Prince of Wales/Kensington Palac / MEGAJust seconds after the image was unveiled on social media, eagle-eyed followers noticed a myriad of editing mishaps in the photo of the royal with her three children.
The widespread speculation prompted conspiracy theorists to come out of the woodwork, with claims being made not only about Middleton’s health, but also her whereabouts.
Leading photo agencies — including Reuters, the Associated Press, Getty and Agence France-Presse — subsequently yanked the image over numerous signs it had been altered.
According to Kay, the public is losing “confidence” in the royal family. Prince Harry (right) is pictured with wife Meghan Markle. Getty Images for 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope GalaFrance’s AFP news agency has since announced that Kensington Palace cannot be deemed a “trusted source” of information.
More recently, Middleton reportedly visited a farm shop with Prince William over the weekend. However, she was not photographed, which has raised even more questions amongst the public about her well-being.
King Charles, for his part, has taken a step back from royal duties as he continues outpatient treatment following his cancer diagnosis.
