Wig, hair extensions, weight loss – cruel talks hurt Princess Kate's healing: Psychologist

"Is Princess Kate wearing a wig? Is she using hair extensions? Oh God! She looks pale and weak." Sadly, this is how the world welcomes Catherine after she survived the most painful phase of her life.

Instead of cheering her courageous comeback after a life‑threatening illness, these harsh comments have turned a moment of triumph into a painful spotlight, which must have taken a toll on her mental health.

It all began in 2024 when Princess Kate was admitted to the London Clinic on January 16. Kensington Palace revealed that she had a planned abdominal surgery on January 17.

Following the medical procedure, like any normal person, Kate Middleton stepped back from her day-to-day tasks to heal. But her long absence from the public eye did not sit well with conspiracy theorists.

Is she alive? What's happening behind Palace doors? Is Prince William hiding some shocking truth? These were the headlines which seemingly forced the Princess of Wales to showcase her vulnerable side in front of the camera.

In March 2024, the key member of the royal family recorded an emotional message, announcing that she's diagnosed with cancer. On her medical team's advice, the Princess underwent preventive chemotherapy.

After undergoing treatment, Princess Kate shared good news with her well-wishers about completing her chemotherapy in 2025, but made an alarming statement. "Still not out of the woods."

This year saw the future Queen Consort gradually returning to life as she is in remission from cancer. With more royal engagements, public interaction and frequent updates on social media, the Princess kept on raising awareness about cancer and also fulfilling responsibilities as a prominent ally of King Charles' monarchy.

But little did the dotting mother of George, Charlotte and Louis know that her baby steps of showcasing courage would be met with body shaming and constant media scrutiny.

We discussed the potential impact of trolling and negative comments on public figures like Princess Kate with Clinical Psychologist and Behaviour Therapist Hafsa Khanam.

In conversation with Geo.tv, the medical expert, who was previously associated with The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), said that chemotherapy patients often feel anxious due to the uncertainty of their medical condition and judgments passed by people around them.

She said, "This whole journey must be exhausting for her because, being a public figure, a lot of things like photos or information about her treatment without her consent are shown in the media. [The Princess is still not] able to tell her part of the story."

Although the Princess of Wales has shared heartfelt videos to update her fans and challenge stereotypes, a psychologist believes that the "always be positive" mindset often hurts mental health.

For the fear of being judged, [cancer patients] wear loose clothes, cover eyes with googles, prefer such colours to hide their weight loss, [in general] they feel dehumanised [because] their disease becomes a gossip, leaves them anxious," Dr Hafsa noted.

After Kate Middleton's cancer treatment, fans have observed that she often places her hand around her stomach area, as if she is protecting herself. Notably, in some of Catherine's recent outings, claims have been made that she has used hair extensions, as it's common to lose hair during chemotherapy.

Psychologist Hafsa has also suggested that those undergoing cancer treatment "keep dressing up and take care of your skin." She even emphasised that if "wigs and hair extensions" make one feel good, feel free to use them without fear of being judged.

The medical expert urged the media and fans to respect the privacy of Princess Kate, despite her being a globally renowned royal figure.

She added, "Do not share every detail, do not speculate, do not build a false narrative, do not ask them about their health update, do not make them feel victimised. Avoid posting unverified information."

Dr Hafsa believes that the coming years will play a crucial role in rebuilding Princess Kate's physical and mental health after a traumatic period in her life.

She said that the "emotional recovery intensifies in public figures because [the public] has high expectations alongside scrutiny regularly, rumours and commentary about their every move, [as a result] recovery takes time."

Despite the intense scrutiny from the public, Kate's resilience is rooted in a much deeper story. The future queen has demonstrated that true royalty is not defined by perfect appearances but by the ability to rise above life's hurdles with grace.