The extraordinary rumor that Kate Middleton never had cancer, which went viral over the weekend after an old report resurfaced saying the princess had been afflicted by “pre-cancerous cells”, can arguably be traced back to a deliberately opaque communications policy by her and her office.

Kensington Palace has finally taken action to address an apparent error made by a well-known royal reporter, who incorrectly suggested in September that Kate Middleton never had cancer but was instead diagnosed with “pre-cancerous cells.