London, UK - Where is Kate Middleton? Nearly the entire world is currently speculating about the Princess of Wales' whereabouts, and some concerning new details have added another layer to the mystery.

The 42-year-old royal has been out of the public eye for several weeks following a planned abdominal surgery in January.

Speculation soon went into overdrive after Kate posted a photo with her three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis – that was then pulled by media outlets after it was revealed it had been photoshopped.

Now it's been revealed that the condition of Prince William's wife is not only a mystery to the public but to many inside the palace walls as well.

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As an insider revealed to Us Weekly on Wednesday, Kate's staff have reportedly not seen or even spoken to her for weeks.

"A few of Kate's senior staffers haven't been able to see or speak to her, and they didn't even know about the surgery until it was announced, so it's caught them off guard," the source said.

According to them, "only a few people" know what is really going on in Kate's hospital room, "and they're tight-lipped."

Shortly after the mother-of-three's operation, the palace announced that Kate would have to recover at home for several weeks after the procedure and would probably not appear in public again until after Easter.

Nevertheless, the conspiracy theories surrounding her state of health continue unabated.

The plan to put an end to the wild speculation by posting a happy snapshot on social media was a "collective decision," according to the source – but it backfired badly.

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Since it became clear that the glowing family portrait with her kids was, in fact, a fake, the rumors about Kate's condition have only gathered further momentum.

"There's an unsettling feeling that things are crumbling within the monarchy," an insider told the outlet.

Amid the concern for Kate, William has continued to make several public appearances, including the recent Diana Awards, where he kept a notable separation from younger brother Prince Harry, who appeared via video call.