'A lesson to us all': how Katespiracy sounded a powerful warning siren about dangerous online rumours

So, there we have it: an answer that finally puts an end to the cruel internet frenzy that became known as Katespiracy. And a tragic one: Kate, the Princess of Wales, has not been abducted by aliens, selected to appear on The Masked Singer or whatever other outlandish, baseless or distasteful rumours various conspiracy theorists wanted us to believe over the two months since her last public appearance. She has cancer. She was diagnosed with it in February after her abdominal surgery, and is currently in the early stages of preventative chemotherapy.

“This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,” the future queen, 42, explained in a short personal message filmed in the gardens of Windsor Castle, released last night.

Dressed down on a