Kate Middleton was reportedly feeling “shaken to her core” ahead of Donald and Melania Trump‘s visit to the UK, according to a source.
The Princess of Wales has reportedly been struggling with commentary about her appearance, something that the U.S. President only added to during his time with the Royal Family.
Radar Online reports that Middleton was upset to see so much criticism towards her after she briefly stepped out with a new blonde hair-do before quickly switching back to her signature brunette hair. Online, people speculated whether the Princess of Wales was wearing a wig with some even linking it back to her cancer battle.
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“This has been a very tough time for Kate,” a family source told Radar Online. “She returned from the summer prepared to face the cameras again, but the harshness of the remarks really unsettled her. The suggestion that her hair was tied to her illness struck her particularly hard.”
“Kate believed people would be supportive given all she has faced this past year. She was stunned by how fast the negativity over her new look spiraled,” another source said. “It left her badly shaken – at one stage she even wondered how much more she could endure and stopped Googling things about herself.”
While a visit from the President and First Lady might have been a welcome distraction from the speculation, Trump has made a few comments about the Duchess of Cambridge’s appearance during his visit.
Upon arriving to Windsor Castle via helicopter, the President was greeted by Prince William and Middleton, whom he called “beautiful.” Later, at a banquet, Trump addressed Middleton in his speech, describing her as, “So radiant, so healthy and so beautiful.”
The Princess of Wales smiled in response but Radar Online’s sources made it clear that commentary about her physical appearance has not been sitting well with her.
“She accepts that, as a public figure, her looks will always be scrutinized,” one palace aide said. “But after her diagnosis and recovery, she expected more compassion. Instead, trolls tore her apart over something as trivial as hair color – and it left her disheartened.”
Middleton revealed her cancer diagnosis in early 2024 and underwent chemotherapy. She has been in remission since January.
Before you go, click here to see all of Kate Middleton’s best hair looks as a royal.