See Stephen Colbert Apologize Over Kate Middleton Jokes After Cancer Diagnosis

The Late Show host Stephen Colbert got serious on Monday’s (March 25) episode as he expressed regret about jokes he recently made about Kate Middleton and Prince William.

Before the Princess of Wales revealed her cancer diagnosis on Friday, March 22, Colbert had addressed the swirling rumors about Middleton’s disappearance from public life. As he explained on Monday’s episode, this upset some viewers.

“I tell a lot of jokes, and I tell jokes about a lot of different things, mostly what everybody’s talking about,” Colbert began. “And for the last six weeks to two months, everybody has been talking about the mystery of Kate Middleton’s disappearance from public life.”

He continued, “Two weeks ago, we did some jokes about that mystery and all the foofaraw in reporting about that. And when I made those jokes, that upset some people… even before her diagnosis was revealed.”

“I can understand that,” he added. “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.”

Colbert was referencing jokes he made on the March 13 episode of The Late Show, where he considered the conspiracy theories about Prince William having an affair with Rose Hanbury, the British peeress who has been at the center of speculation since 2019.

“According to tabloids back then, when Kate supposedly confronted [William] about it, he laughed it off, saying there was nothing to it,” Colbert said in the episode. “Always a good response when you’re wife accuses you of cheating.”

WATCH: A remorseful @StephenAtHome on his The Late Show following his recent jokes about the Princess of Wales and the rumours about her disappearance and marriage.
“I tell a lot of jokes” he says but wishes Kate a “swift and thorough” recovery @colbertlateshow pic.twitter.com/ksZ3DU2ccx

— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) March 26, 2024

Following the episode, Hanbury’s attorney told In Touch Weekly, “The rumor appears to have entered into the mainstream media recently as a result of another joke made about it on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. We have written on our client’s behalf to CBS and various other reputable media organizations to confirm that the allegation is false.”

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Kensington Palace released a video on Friday, March 22, where Middleton revealed her cancer diagnosis.

“My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment,” she shared. “This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.”

On Monday’s episode, Colbert said, “There’s a standard that I try to hold myself to, and that is I do not make light of somebody else’s tragedy. Now, I don’t know whether her prognosis is a tragic one. I presume she is going to get the best possible medical care. But far too many of us know that any cancer diagnosis of any kind is harrowing for the patient and for their family.”

“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,” he concluded.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Weeknights, 11:35/10:35 c, CBS