Nope, nothing is ever enough for the Internet. After the Princess of Wales’ shocking revelation of her cancer diagnosis, trolls have flooded social media with yet another conspiracy theory: ‘That’s not Kate Middleton speaking, that’s AI’.
The princess disclosed her condition in a video message recorded on Wednesday in Windsor and broadcast on Friday. It came after relentless speculation on social media ever since January, when she was hospitalised for unspecified abdominal surgery.
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Kate asked for “time, space and privacy” while she is treated for an unspecified type of cancer that was discovered after what she described as “major” surgery.
Wearing a casual striped sweater and jeans, Kate sat on a wooden bench in front of a lawn dotted with daffodils. The flowers, which bloom in early spring, are often used as a symbol of hope for people fighting cancer.
“I am well,” she said. “I am getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal.”
It was a two-minute video that triggered an outpouring of love and support for the princess, with many hoping it would finally put an end to all the obnoxious rumours. Along with the news of the cancer diagnosis, “leave her alone” was another trending topic on social media.
Some Netizens, however, were still in doubt. After the Mother’s Day photo scandal and the ‘dubious’ sighting of Kate with Prince William at a farm shop, some are still stuck in the mystery — thinking the video is ‘deep fake’ or generated by artificial intelligence.
People tore the video apart, pointing out every little thing they considered an anomaly. Here are a few:
‘Where is the mole?’
The first thing sceptics looked for in the video was Kate Middleton’s moles, above her lip and right below the apple of her cheek.
These moles, they say, are not visible on the video.
However, there were those who pointed out that, of course, make-up covered them:
‘Look at the stripes!’
Some found it weird that the stripes on Kate’s shirt have their “own shadows” on the bench and are “coming from different angles”.
Daffodils not moving?
Other commented on the park behind Kate Middleton, pointing out that none of the elements — from the leaves to the daffodils — were moving.
The stationary background, however, could have resulted from the use of green screen — which should be acceptable, some users said. Green screens are typically used to add a preferred background into a video.
‘Leave her alone’
Amidst the noise and the chaos, other Netizens are calling for an end to all speculations.
It’s time to leave Kate alone, they say, so she can heal and beat cancer.