An insider at the Palace is rumored to have told The National Enquirer that although the Princess of Wales hasn’t made up her mind yet, being a princess has taken a big toll on her.

Kate keeps putting off her return to royal life as a result. Back in January, she underwent a “planned abdominal procedure,” which made her withdraw from the spotlight.

There has been significant speculation that Kate’s health may be bad because she has been recovering from surgery for a long time—the Palace said early on that she wouldn’t be returning until Easter.The Royal Family’s customary lack of information sharing combined with this has led to a flurry of speculations that the Palace has been desperately trying to quell.

The first official photo of Kate Middleton was scheduled to be used to honor Mother’s Day in the UK, but it was pulled this weekend by a number of news sources due to claims that it had been “manipulated.” This didn’t really help their cause.

There are still enough unresolved doubts regarding the Princess of Wales’s movements and health during the last two months, even if Kate subsequently acknowledged to manipulating the disputed photo herself, for very few, if any, people to be inclined to believe the Palace when they say everything is great.

In any case, Kate is reportedly debating whether or not to fully abdicate her royal duties; this choice has caused tension in her marriage to Prince William, the heir apparent, according to the previously referenced RadarOnline piece.

“Kate’s desperate struggle with the constant pressures of life in the royal fishbowl has clearly taken a terrible toll on her physical and mental health,” the National Enquirer was informed by a top palace insider.

The insider went on, “She spent weeks avoiding the spotlight following her surgeries, and it’s only strengthened her resolve to quit.”

The same insider continued by saying that William is “beside himself” at the possibility that Kate may want to leave.

The insider stated, “William is beside himself over her decision.” He’s shocked that his spouse would ever think to take such a step.

“She’s done an amazing job, and he made sure she knew what she was getting into when she married him.” She claims she’s now seeing clearly, but he worries that she’s becoming emotionally unstable.

Whoa! Are you ready to accept that Kate Middleton could decide to leave her position as a royal? Tell us in the comments below.