The Duchess of Cambridge made her first public appearance in more than two months meeting RAF crews and civilians involved in Afghanistan airlifts. Video / AP
Kate Middleton has been the subject of intense mystery over her whereabouts for the past couple of months, with many speculating the Duchess of Cambridge could be pregnant with baby number four.
The 39-year-old British royal had not been seen in public since July 11 when she attended Wimbledon, andlater that evening, the Euro 2020 final, in a highly unusual lengthy disappearance.
But the Duchess has finally put rumours to bed after visiting an air base in Brize Norton, near Oxford, England on Wednesday, where she met with members of the RAF who helped thousands of UK civilians flee from Afghanistan.
The Duchess visited an air base in Brize Norton, where she met with members of the RAF who helped thousands of UK civilians flee from Afghanistan. Photo / Getty Images
Kate kept it simple in a white blouse, beige blazer and flared navy pants for the engagement, which she attended solo.
Her 66 days spent without any work commitments or public appearances led royal watchers to believe she may have been pregnant, three years after welcoming her third child, Prince Louis.
Last year, the longest gap between public appearances for the Duchess (including Zoom engagements) was 41 days.
On August 5, 2020, she and William visited Wales, spent much of the month on a break, and then she reappeared for a series of outings in London on September 15.
Kate kept it simple at the appearance in a white blouse, beige blazer and flared navy pants, she attended solo. Photo / Getty Images
However it's now believed she was simply enjoying an extended summer holiday.
Kate, along with her husband Prince William and their three children George, Charlotte and Louis, attended her younger brother James Middleton's wedding in France last week, although no pictures were taken of the Cambridge crew.
They had earlier holidayed on the Cornish Isles of Scilly and were seen sailing off the Norfolk coast near their country estate Anmer Hall.
Meanwhile, across the pond, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have fronted the cover of Time magazine's 100 most influential people issue.
