Dublin Airport should apologise and remove a post on X featuring Kate Middleton, a Northern Ireland Councillor has said.
The post was published several days before Britain's Princess of Wales revealed she was undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with cancer.
It followed weeks of conspiracy theories and social media commentary around Middleton and her whereabouts.
Unionist Councillor Allister Kyle from the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) said the post should be removed.
"Dublin Airport have come in for considerable criticism on X for their post and have disabled replies to that particular post. Disgracefully, however, it has been left up," he said.
"Many people in Northern Ireland will draw their own conclusions about what this says about the deeply embedded anti-Britishness in the Republic.
"It is time for Dublin Airport to remove this disgusting post, explain how it ever appeared, what action will be taken against those responsible and apologise to Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales," he added.
The post on X, formerly known as Twitter, used a photo obtained by The Sun newspaper apparently showing Middleton and her husband Prince William shopping on March 18th.
Great to see passengers looking so happy and relaxed this morning. ✈️ pic.twitter.com/4u35dXnvhU
— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) March 19, 2024
'Her body, her business'
London-based TRT World presenter Enda Brady told The Pat Kenny Show a delay in clarifying what was going on didn't help.
"She's got three young children going to school every day and this is an immensely difficult situation," he said.
"It's her body, it's her business and yet people just wouldn't leave it alone.
"The internet was alive with conspiracy theories.
"I think some high-profile individuals should be looking in the mirror perhaps and asking themselves questions about their behaviour in the last few weeks.
"I think they should have said more earlier on, but it was a very fine line to walk and a difficult one to balance".
Mr Brady said "radio silence" is likely from Kensington Palace as Prince William and Kate Middleton go on holidays for the Easter break.
He added that an appearance may come from Britain's King Charles, who is also battling cancer, at Easter Sunday mass "if he's well enough".
"Very ashamed"
A number of people came forward to apologise after Kate Middleton's diagnosis was made public.
US actress Blake Lively referred to a now-deleted post that seemingly poked fun at an edited picture of Middleton and her children on Mother's Day.
She apologised and confessed that she was "mortified" over her post.
British journalist Owen Jones said he was "very ashamed" for speculating without considering it could be a serious health condition.
As someone who speculated on this without considering it could be a serious health condition, I’m very ashamed to be honest, and all the very best to her. https://t.co/CvLUGtjdet
— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) March 22, 2024
US TV chat show host Jimmy Kimmel asked people to "leave this woman alone" in a monologue just hours before she revealed her health diagnosis.
Similarly US actress Jamie Lee Curtis condemned the public scrutiny on Instagram.
"Can we please just STOP with this bull***t conspiracy theory? This is a human being with young children, and clearly some sort of a health issue," she wrote.
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