John Oliver Makes Controversial Remarks About Kate Middleton's Alleged Disappearance

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John Oliver made a joke about Princess Kate Middleton after her Mother's Day photoshop fail, suggesting that the royals might be pulling a Weekend at Bernie's situation with her.

During an episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Oliver expressed his surprise at the photoshop incident, stating that it felt like the situation was being handled in a somewhat oppressive manner.

Oliver noticed a Mother's Day photo of Kate taken by Prince William and shared by Kensington Palace on March 10. The picture showed the princess with their children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Fans pointed out some editing mistakes and wondered if the photo was altered.

The day after, Kate clarified the editing errors in a statement through X. She admitted to being an "amateur photographer" trying out different editing techniques.

"During Tuesday's WWHL, host Andy Cohen asked Oliver about their motto, 'Never complain never explain?' and pointed out her explanations on Twitter."

Oliver responded with a joke, saying, "There is a non-zero chance she died 18 months ago. They might be Weekend at Bernie's-ing this situation. I'm not saying it happened, but I'm saying it's non-zero until proven otherwise. Until we see her sitting there with a copy of the day's paper."

Kate had abdominal surgery in January and has been taking a break from her royal duties. The surgery went well, and she is expected to stay in the hospital for 10 to 14 days before going home to recover. According to the latest medical advice, she will probably not resume her public duties until after Easter.

Royal family supporters have been curious about Kate's whereabouts recently, especially after William took a break from his own responsibilities to support her recovery. Despite the Palace's explanation, some eyebrows have been raised.

Kate made her first public appearance earlier this month, as seen in a photo published by TMZ showing her driving with her mother, Carole Middleton. She was later spotted with her husband, William, leaving Windsor Castle in a car on Monday, March 11, according to a photo from the Daily Mail.

At the time, the outlet reported that Kate would “not be attending” the Commonwealth Day service with William and “was heading to a private appointment instead.”

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William attended a private ceremony at the Chapel Royal in St. James's Palace in London on Tuesday to honor the late cousin of King Charles III, Thomas Kingston. Thomas passed away last month at the age of 45. Charles, who is 75 years old, was not present at the ceremony as he is reducing his royal duties after being diagnosed with cancer.

Earlier this month, royal expert Nick Bullen spoke exclusively with We. He explained why he thinks the royal family made a "mistake" in handling the Kate "conspiracy theories." Bullen pointed out the contrast with Charles being open about his own diagnosis.

Bullen, Editor-in-Chief of True Royalty TV, explained that the king's openness about his enlarged prostate surgery inadvertently pressured Kensington Palace and William and Kate to disclose their own health matters. Since they chose not to share any information, it left a gap that led to speculations filling the void.

According to Bullen, there was a lack of coordination between Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace when they disclosed the health struggles of Charles and Kate.

"The announcement of the king's enlarged prostate news and Kate going into the hospital on the same day was not handled well. It seemed like the households were not communicating with each other, with one announcement being very open and the other less open," he explained to Us.

Editor's P/S:

John Oliver's offhanded remark about Princess Kate Middleton's absence from public life has sparked speculation and raised concerns among royal watchers. While the palace has attributed her absence to a recent surgery and a break from royal duties, Oliver's joke suggests that there may be more to the story. The fact that Kate has made only a few brief public appearances since her surgery, and that William has taken time off to support her recovery, has fueled the rumors.

Royal expert Nick Bullen has criticized the royal family's handling of the situation, suggesting that their lack of openness has left a void that has been filled with speculation. He argues that the contrasting approaches taken by Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace in disclosing the health struggles of Charles and Kate have created confusion and raised questions about the family's transparency. The ongoing speculation surrounding Kate's absence highlights the intense scrutiny that the royal family faces and the public's desire for information about their lives.