There was an Oct. 17, 2024, hospital update about the health of Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales.
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There has been no new hospital update about Princess Kate’s health
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Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, said in a Sept. 9 video message that she finished chemotherapy for her cancer diagnosis and is cancer-free.
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The social media posts link to a story with previous news that Middleton had a successful abdominal surgery in January.
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Images in the posts are either years old or artificially generated.
Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, announced in September that she had finished chemotherapy for a cancer diagnosis and is cancer-free. But online posts falsely say there is new news about her health and suggest it might be dire.
"After a new update from hospital, our hearts go out to Kate Middleton’s children. Sending strength and love at this difficult time. Check Comments," the caption of multiple Facebook posts read.
The posts include a collage of four images of Great Britain’s Prince William and Prince Harry, some that show them crying or hugging.
These posts were flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.)
The posts’ comments include links to a blog story titled, "Royal Tragedy: William and Kate Devastated," published on multiple websites, which says Middleton had a successful abdominal surgery and is expected to return home. Although some of the news articles are dated Oct. 18, the news is old. Middleton said in a March 22 video message that she had a successful abdominal surgery in January, and later found out she had cancer.
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In a more recent Sept. 9 video message, Middleton said she finished chemotherapy and is cancer-free. News outlets reported Middleton returned to her royal duties Sept. 15.
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The Facebook post’s four images are all old or artificially generated. The first shows William standing over a woman in a hospital bed. The woman in the photo is not Middleton, and her hands have more than five fingers, a telltale sign of artificially generated images.
The collage’s top right photo shows William after giving a speech at the launch of a memorial in Manchester, England, on May 10, 2022. The bottom left photo was generated in 2023 by artificial intelligence. And the bottom right photo shows Prince Harry on Sept. 14, 2022, at a procession where Queen Elizabeth’s coffin was moved from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.
We rate the claim that there was an Oct. 17, 2024, hospital update about Middleton’s health False.
Our Sources
Facebook post (archived), Oct. 17, 2024
Facebook post (archived), Oct. 17, 2024
Facebook post (archived), Oct. 17, 2024
Facebook post (archived), Oct. 17, 2024
Facebook post (archived), Oct. 17, 2024
DDNews, Royal Tragedy: William and Kate Devastated, Oct. 18, 2024
YouTube, A message from Catherine, The Princess of Wales, March 22, 2024
YouTube, A Message from Catherine, The Princess of Wales | September 2024, Sept. 9, 2024
Vanity Fair, Kate Middleton Officially Returns to Work After Cancer Treatment, Sept. 18, 2024
ABC News, Kate Middleton returns to work after cancer treatment, Sept. 18, 2024
Harper’s Bazaar, Princess Kate Quietly Returns to Work for the First Time Since Announcing She’s Cancer-Free, Sept. 18, 2024
Getty Images, The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Attend The Official Opening Of The Glade Of Light Memorial, May 10, 2022
Medium, Prince William Welcomes Prince Harry Home at King Charles’ Coronation!, April 29, 2023
Getty Images, The Coffin Carrying Queen Elizabeth II Is Transferred From Buckingham Palace To The Palace of Westminster, Sept. 14, 2022
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There has been no new hospital update about Princess Kate’s health
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