This reads like we have a choice: either (a) we believe the royal family is telling the truth or (b) we are commodifying Kate's body and life as if it is something owed to us.
What I see out there in those who are expressing skepticism about the royal family's story is concern for Kate, worry that she is not okay and the royal family is fabricating a story in order to preserve their image. There are *always* some dreadful people who act as if the royal family owes the public access to the members' personal lives, but I don't see that driving the narrative that the royal family's story is suspicious and how they are handling this situation is adding credibility to the notion that their story is a fabrication.
I wish the royal family had a history of telling the truth, preserving members' privacy, and treating members with respect and decency - especially the women to marry into the family. But they don't. Quite the opposite. It seems more credible that the truth is something that makes the royal family look bad and they are covering it up. We may never know what is really going on. But if I had to bet the contents of my bank account on what is really happening, I would NOT bet that the royal family is telling the truth and protecting her privacy.
I have 38 inches of incision scars on my own torso from two surgeries in the last 5 months and was surprised how quickly the human body returns to basic functioning after it is opened up, lots of tissue is removed and rearranged, and is sewn back up. I also remember how long I felt easily fatigued and for how long I needed extra sleep and extra rest after the surgeries. My recent experience with major surgery tells me that if the royal family's story were the whole truth, Kate would be *able* to make a brief appearance that is not carried out in a taxing manner, but someone is *choosing* for that not to happen. I don't feel that she owes it to us to make an appearance. If she chooses not to appear, I respect her choice. But is she the one making that choice? Historically, she does what the family wants, even to her own detriment. Is she done with that and is enforcing some boundaries? That would be a lovely - and very new - development. I am skeptical that that is what it is. It is more likely that something else is going on and they can't trot her out right now to try to shape public opinion. People are asking, why? What is going on? Why fabricate a story? What is the truth that is being covered up? Is Kate okay or is she being treated badly, as historically the women who marry into that family have been?
The royal family itself is guilty of commodifying the bodies and lives of the women who marry into it to rehabilitate the royal family's image and the monarchy itself. I don't doubt for one second that if they could use Kate in that way right now, they would. That begs the question, what is really going on?
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