Kate Middleton Set To Skip Earthshot for the Third Time and the Press Pretends It’s Normal

As Prince William prepares to travel to Brazil for his Earthshot Prize awards, the British press is working overtime to explain why his wife will not be joining him. In People, Marie Claire, and Harper’s Bazaar, the same narrative appears: Princess Kate is staying home to oversee the move into Forest Lodge. The tone is gentle, almost reverent, as if managing a relocation absolves her from missing her husband’s biggest professional event. If this were Meghan Sussex skipping the Invictus Games, the headlines would scream “marital crisis.” Instead, Kate’s absence is recast as a commitment to family life.

The Polished Excuse Machine

Mainstream coverage treats Kate’s decision as noble domesticity. Reports describe her “guiding the family through transition” as though she were personally packing boxes. The framing is consistent: Kate is dutiful, grounded, and too devoted to her children to fly to Rio. Yet this marks the third consecutive year she has skipped the Earthshot ceremony. The press avoids acknowledging the pattern, instead weaving a story of motherhood and quiet sacrifice. This narrative sanitizes a simple reality— Kate has repeatedly declined to appear beside her husband when it matters most.

Meghan Would Never Get This Kind of Grace

When Meghan Sussex missed engagements to recover from pregnancy or focus on family, tabloids weaponized her absence. They implied disloyalty, mental instability, and they always hinted at divorce. The same outlets now champion Kate’s decision as admirable restraint. This double standard exposes the press’s coded bias: Black women’s choices are treated as rebellion, while white women’s absences become virtue. The media that once dissected Meghan’s every move now shields Kate from the same scrutiny, reinforcing the media’s selective compassion and the racial hierarchy that sustains it.

Earthshot Without Its Princess – The Image Problem Kensington Can’t Hide

Earthshot is marketed as William’s defining legacy—a global campaign for environmental change. Yet the repeated absence of his wife undermines the message of unity that royal PR depends on. Kensington Palace wants the image of a modern, forward-thinking partnership, but what the public sees is a husband appearing alone at his own “global stage.” The press refuses to ask why. Instead, it fills the silence with fluff about family logistics and school holidays, protecting a royal couple whose togetherness now seems mostly administrative.

Final Thoughts

We’re not saying a husband and wife need to appear together to prove their marriage is solid. But when Meghan dines solo or attends an event without Harry, tabloids shout “divorce.” It’s so relentless that even people who don’t follow royal gossip know the “trouble in paradise” headlines by heart. Yet curiously, when Kate is set to skip William’s biggest event of the year — for the third time — the media runs PR therapy sessions instead.

Across British and U.S. outlets, journalists rush to justify her absence with talking points about “family priorities” and “healing energy.” Let’s be honest and call this what it is: narrative control. When Meghan stays home, she’s branded difficult. When Kate stays home, she’s a devoted mother. The same act, two completely different treatments, because one woman has the palace’s protection and the other never did.

So at Feminegra, we’re asking the questions the press won’t: if solo appearances imply marital strain, then why isn’t Kate’s Earthshot absence treated the same way? Is William keeping her away to protect his spotlight, or his image? Since she’s missed his signature event three times, should we start whispering “divorce” too? What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Let us know what you think in the comments.