View Co-Hosts Regret Going Down Kate Middleton Conspiracy Theory ‘Rabbit Hole’ After Cancer Reveal

Even after the reveal that the Princess of Wales has been diagnosed with cancer, the Royal family remains one of the main topics of discussion. At least now, somewhat less of that chatter is elaborate conspiracy theories as to her whereabouts. Less, but not none.

Nevertheless, the ladies of The View admitted that they’d perhaps gone too far in entertaining some of these “fun” theories, even though they mostly did so playfully. The princess’ very real and sobering diagnosis did a lot to dampen the theories, and especially the light-hearted takes on them.

Saying they’d fallen down the “rabbit hole” in their own discussions on the topic, the ladies said they regretted not taking the advice of moderator Whoopi Goldberg, who repeatedly told them to just mind their “own damn business.”

Alyssa Farrah Griffin said she forgot a “fundamental” truth about humanity and even general kindness. That is that sometimes people are “dealing with personal struggles that we don’t know about.” She added, “I send my love to her and my strength to her.”

Sara Haines might have regrets about engaging in some of the deeper conspiracy theories about Middleton, but she stands by some of her concerns about how the Royal Palace has handled things, including releasing the much-scrutinized altered UK Mother’s Day photo.

“I’ve always questioned the way the Palace handles women,” Haines said, referencing previous controversies surrounding both Princess Diana, Fergie (Sarah) and Meghan Markle. Griffin agreed about the Palace mishandling the situation, but she says the public mishandled it, too.

“We didn’t give her an ounce … I didn’t think about there’s something more serious here that she’s dealing with and I feel awful over it,” Griffin added. “And it’s just a reminder because all of us, to a lesser degree, being in the public eye, we see the casual cruelty and meanness … and as a society we’re so quick to jump on the bandwagon and forget that these are actual human beings.”

Standing by her stance to mind her own business, Navarro said she intends to respect the princess, too, noting she “asked for privacy and this Nicaraguan is going to give it to her, shut my mouth and wish her well and pray for her.”

Sunny Hostin joked that it was Haines and Farrah that “led me down the rabbit hole,” but she did take ownership for her own failure to listen to their moderator, “who told me to stop and I didn’t, and so here I am.”

Goldberg had an opportunity to rub her co-hosts noses in it and say, “I told you so,” but she declined. Instead, she took this as a teachable moment for everyone, saying, “Once you’ve had this experience, it can scar you. Because once those things begin to happen, everybody jumps on board and there’s no way to stop it. Nobody wants to hear the truth.”

“I always think about the kids, because the kids are hearing it outside, at school. Yes even their kids,” she continued, referring to Prince William and Kate’s children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

Ultimately, she joked that maybe next time they’ll actually listen to her, though she’s not going to put any money on it.

Goldberg’s concluding words of wisdom for her co-hosts is that what they say at the table doesn’t necessarily stay there, which is why she will always speak out when she thinks they’re nearing the “edge.”

“What we say here doesn’t stay here,” she told them. “It goes across the pond, it goes on the internet, and people, as you know, manipulate stuff. They manipulate what you say.”

Goldberg then said she tried to shut down the speculation to protect her co-hosts from the public. “I don’t want people to misunderstand you all, I don’t what them thinking you’re making fun of somebody because they’re ill.”