Stephen Colbert Regrets Fostering Kate Middleton Conspiracy Theories on His Show, Issues Apology

Stephen Colbert issued a sincere apology to the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton after she announced her battle with cancer. The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, host recently delivered his heartfelt apology revealing he didn't intend to build jokes out of somebody's misfortunes. 

The CBS host acknowledged that his earlier critical remarks before disclosure didn't resonate positively with some viewers. Upon reflection, the 10-time Emmy winner conceded that those remarks didn't uphold his personal comedic standards. "I don't know if you have noticed but we do a lot of shows. And I tell a lot of jokes and I tell jokes about a lot of different things, mostly about what everybody's talking about. And for the last six weeks, two months, everybody has been talking about the mystery of Kate Middleton's disappearance from public life," Colbert said per Ok Magazine.

"Two weeks ago, we did some jokes about that mystery, and all the attendant from-fresh in the reporting about that. When I made those jokes, that upset some people, even before her diagnosis was revealed, and I can understand that," he said. "I mean, a lot of my jokes have upset people in the past, and I'm sure some of my jokes will upset people in the future. But there’s a standard that I try to hold myself to, and that is I do not make light of somebody else’s tragedy," Colbert said. 

Explaining further the former Daily Show star continued, "Now, I don’t know whether her prognosis is a tragic one, she is the future Queen of England and I assume she’s going to be getting the best possible medical care, but regardless of what it is, I know and I’m sure many of you, far too many of us know that any cancer diagnosis of any kind is harrowing for the patient and their family. And... though I’m sure they don’t need it from me, I and everyone here at The Late Show would like to extend our well-wishes and heartfelt hope that her recovery is swift and thorough." 

Previously, Colbert pulled a string of jokes on the Princess of Wales and her long stretched absence from public places. He said, "I’m afraid I’ve got some troubling news about England’s royal family. Internet sleuths are guessing that Kate’s absence may be related to her husband, and the future King of England, William, having an affair," the March 12 monologue caused further fury around the rumors of extra-marital affair of Prince William. 

"I think we all know who the alleged other woman is, say it with me, The Marchioness of Cholmondeley. Now there have been rumors of an affair between William and [Rose] since 2019. According to tabloids, back then, when Kate supposedly confronted him about it, he ‘laughed it off, saying there was nothing to it.’ Aha, always a good response when your wife accuses you of cheating," Colbert joked.