BBC Sports reporter Sonja McLaughlan has been criticised for suggesting the recent video of Princess Kate at a Windsor farm shop was fake and used a ‘lookalike’
A BBC journalist is under fire for suggesting the recent video of Princess Kate is ‘fake’.
Royal fans around the world were relieved to see the princess, 42, looking happy and relaxed walking next to Prince William, 41, at a Windsor farm shop this week. After unprecedented speculation over the mum-of-three’s whereabouts following her ‘planned abdominal surgery’ in January, many thought the clip would put an end to the wild conspiracy theories, which have resulted in #kategate.
However, there are some, including BBC Sports reporter Sonja McLaughlan, who are not convinced the video is real. The rugby buff echoed one theory on Twitter, after she appeared to suggest that the woman seen walking with Prince William, captured by an onlooker, was not in fact Princess Kate.
Commenting on a viral video, which compared professionally taken, older pictures of Kate to the latest grainy, amateur footage, Sonja said: “It’s so obviously not Kate. Some newspapers are reporting it as fact. But it’s not her. No conspiracy theorist but all very odd.” She also questioned why UK newspapers were “reporting this as fact”, and speculated that it “could be a couple of lookalikes making mischief.”
Her post didn’t go down well with many of Kate’s supporters as one responded: “I’m bothered that you are perpetuating ridiculous claims. It is Catherine, it is well known that they visit that farm shop. We’ve always been told she will be resuming duties after Easter, that’s only a few weeks away.”
A second added: “Conspiracy theorists should not be doing the news. Especially not on a public supported station.” While a third fumed: “Sonja – you’ll have the BBC’s lead disinformation officer investigating you for being a conspiracy theorist.”
The dad who recorded Kate, Princess of Wales and Prince William on the weekend has rejected the “ridiculous” claims that it wasn’t really her in the clip – and said “excited” staff also recognised her.
Nelson Silva, 40, captured the moment the future Queen stepped outside for a quick trip to the Windsor Farm Shop on Saturday, as she walked side-by-side with William. The video sparked numerous conspiracy theories about her whereabouts, with many claiming the recording was of Kate’s lookalike instead.
But the father, who was out shopping for steak when he saw the royal couple, said the social media users behind the rumours are “delusional”. It comes after the body-double rumour spread amassed more than 12 million views on Twitter and over 11 million on TikTok.
Nelson said he is “confused” about the rumours as he claims he has provided cast iron proof. He told The Sun, who first published the video: “This is a video clearly showing her and William. I saw them with my own eyes. It was a completely relaxed situation. What more do you need to lay off her? I thought after this was released they’d go quiet. But these people are so invested in the drama now.”
Meanwhile, a Princess of Wales lookalike has hit out at “crazy” speculation that she is in the footage with Prince William at Windsor Farm Shop instead of Kate.
Heidi Agan, who has impersonated the royal professionally for 12 years, told the Mirror she “100 per cent” believes Kate and William are in the footage – and she, at the time, was doing her “other job” – as a teacher at a dance and musical theatre group.
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