A short clip of Kate Middleton during the royal family’s traditional Christmas Day walk in Sandringham reignited one of the most contentious royal controversies of 2024.
The footage, now viewed more than 3.2 million times on X, shows what online users believe is a visible scar running across the left temple of the Princess of Wales.
Highlights
- A Christmas video showing a visible scar on Kate Middleton’s face revived conspiracy theories.
- Spanish journalist Concha Calleja insisted Kate was placed in an induced coma in 2024 for a life-threatening condition.
- Theorists believe the two events are connected, and questioned the Palace lack of legal action.
That small detail has triggered a wave of revived conspiracy theories, as critics argue the mark could support rumors that Buckingham Palace previously worked to conceal a life-threatening medical emergency.
“Remember the Spanish journalist who said Kate was in a coma?” a podcaster asked last Sunday (December 28).
Netizens believe Kate Middleton’s temple scar is connected to a rumored 2024 life-threatening emergency
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The rumors originated in January 2024 after Spanish journalist Concha Calleja claimed that Kate “was in great danger” following abdominal surgery and had been placed into an induced coma to save her life.
According to The Times of London, Calleja appeared on Spanish TV alleging she had “spoken to an aide from the royal household in a completely off-the-record manner,” a claim Palace sources vehemently denied.
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“The doctors had to take drastic decisions at that moment because of the complications that arose,” Calleja reportedly insisted.
“The decision was to put her in an induced coma. They had to intubate her. There were serious complications that they didn’t expect because the operation went well, but the postoperative period didn’t go so well.”
She added that “the concern in the royal household was palpable. It was about saving her life.”
The rumors were first spread by Concha Calleja, a Spanish journalist specializing in celebrity biographies
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Shortly after the rumors spread online, a palace source responded that the allegations were “total nonsense,” “fundamentally, totally made-up,” and “absolutely not the case.”
The insider went further, stating that no attempt was made by that journalist to fact-check anything that she said with anyone in the household.
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Still, Calleja didn’t back down. Appearing again on the Spanish program Fiesta, she restated that Kate was in great danger and affirmed her trust in her insider source after 27 years covering the royal family.
“What happens is that they feel upset because we have discovered the truth,” she said, arguing the Palace’s anger only validated her information. “This happens when you touch a nerve, it is annoying.”
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Furthermore, the journalist also reported that Kate was taken to the hospital on December 28, just three days after appearing in public on Christmas Day in Sandringham, and that doctors later arranged “practically an entire hospital” inside Adelaide Cottage for home recovery.
The Palace, which confirmed only that she underwent “planned abdominal surgery,” refused to engage further.
Official sources have confirmed Kate underwent an abdominal surgery and cancer treatment
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The silence made royal watchers uneasy, as Kate had abruptly disappeared from public life for weeks.
The situation worsened when Kensington Palace released a family photograph later withdrawn due to noticeable editing inconsistencies, resulting in what many described as a “horrific photoshop fail.”
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Online commentators swiftly tied those incidents together, arguing the timeline and secrecy did not match the “abdominal surgery” version of events.
“I just want to know if Princess Kate is alright, because I believe the Spanish journalist’s report concerning the princess’ current health issues. All of a sudden, cats caught the palace courtiers’ tongues,” a reader asked.
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Then came the 2024 cancer announcement.
In a video message, Kate revealed that cancer had been discovered during post-operative tests and that she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy. She later shared in January 2025 that she was in remission.
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“I’ve been saying all along that Kate Middleton never had cancer,” one X user wrote. “It was just a story they made up to distract from the hospitalization.”
Just when the rumors seemed to be fading, a new controversy emerged: Kate Middleton’s temple scar.
Theorists believe the Palace’s lack of legal action suggests Calleja’s account may not be entirely untrue
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“I didn’t realize how big and deep a scar it is until this video,” one commenter said after Kate’s 2025 Christmas appearance.
“What happened to her? A scar on the face is one of a woman’s deepest fears.”
Others questioned why the British media was not addressing the topic.
“If [Meghan] disappeared for six months and came back with a scar like that, the [British Media] would not ignore it like this,” one viral post read. “It’s crazy how much they hide.”
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Royal observers also scrutinized the styling choices Kate made for the appearance.
“She knows it’s visible! If she wanted to hide it a little, she could easily wear her hair differently, or she could have worn a similar hat, angled to her left instead of right,” a user declared.
“She knows what she’s doing!”
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As this latest controversy spread, a royal-focused podcaster named Anne posted a reminder that brought everything together, asking people if they remembered Calleja's remarks.
"She doubled down and the palace never sued her,” she wrote, fueling even more suspicion that if Calleja’s claims had no basis, the Crown would have taken decisive legal action.
Kensington Palace, meanwhile, has maintained its stance. There have been no new statements clarifying Kate Middleton’s health beyond the original cancer updates.
"Big secret." Netizens shared their theories on social media
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