Kate Middleton drew admiration and applause during her return to Wimbledon on Sunday, where she appeared as patron of the All England Club alongside Prince William and their children. Yet the warm reception was quickly followed by renewed speculation about her weight—a topic that has trailed the Princess of Wales for years.
Online chatter and certain tabloids resurfaced claims of disordered eating, pointing to her noticeably slender frame and, more controversially, alleged “Russell’s signs”—bandaged fingers some associate with self-induced vomiting. However, there has been no official medical confirmation of any eating disorder, and these claims remain speculative.
In March 2024, Kate Middleton disclosed that a planned abdominal procedure led to the discovery of cancer. She subsequently underwent preventative chemotherapy, which she completed in September 2024, before sharing news of her remission in early 2025.
In public statements, she has described the recovery as “really, really difficult,” revealing that treatment left her emotionally and physically drained. She noted that even after treatment, the return to normalcy has been slow, with lingering effects such as fatigue and reduced physical resilience.
Given the nature of cancer and its treatment, it is medically plausible that any observed weight loss may be linked to her health journey—not to an eating disorder.
According to the NHS, cancer-related weight loss can stem from both the illness and the side effects of chemotherapy, including nausea, appetite changes, and metabolic shifts.
Anorexia nervosa, by contrast, is a psychological disorder defined by extreme food restriction, a distorted body image, and a persistent fear of gaining weight. There is no confirmation from Kensington Palace or Kate Middleton herself regarding any such diagnosis.