On January 16, 2024, Kate Middleton, as in the Princess of Wales, who is married to Prince William and has three kids with him—was hospitalized, but no one outside of her very immediate circle seemed to know a thing about it. The only reason it got out to the public is because the following day Kensington Palace released a statement sharing the news that Kate had undergone a “planned abdominal surgery” that was “successful.”
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The statement went on to explain that she would be staying in the hospital for about 10 to 14 days and would then continue to recuperate at home, which makes the whole procedure sound quite serious. A surgery that requires such a long hospital stay afterward certainly isn’t something to be taken lightly, after all. Check out how the news got out.
According to the official Kensington Palace statement, the surgery was ‘planned.’
On January 17, Kensington Palace—the official home of the Prince and Princess of Wales—released a statement regarding Kate’s hospital stay. The beginning reads as follows:
“Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales was admitted to hospital for planned abdominal surgery. The surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery. Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.”
Planned or not, the surgery came as a surprise to many.
I’m sure Kate, her husband Prince William, and their three kids—George, Charlotte, and Louis—were aware of the “planned abdominal surgery,” but according to People, the news “came as a surprise even to those who work closely with the royal family.”
The official statement gives no indication of what kind of operation took place.
“The Princess of Wales appreciated the interest this statement will generate,” the statement reads. “She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private.”
Don’t hold your breath for any updates, either.
Because she wants to keep her health info private, the statement explained that there would only be updates on Kate’s condition “when there is significant new information to share.”
I mean, not that it’s any of our business what she had done anyway, but when it comes to that royal family, there are a lot of people who want to know every last detail of their lives.
Makes you wonder if they would have kept the news to themselves, if at all possible.
The statement came after the princess had already undergone surgery, not before. Somehow, they were able to keep that a secret. The statement ends with an apology about Kate having to “postpone her upcoming engagements.”
Perhaps I'm being suspicious, but the way the statement ends in an apology for scheduling conflicts makes me wonder if the statement was only released because it had to be in order to explain her having to reschedule things. Not that I would blame her for wanting to keep her private medical conditions private.
Leading up to her surgery, there was no indication that anything was wrong.
On December 9, 2023, they shared their yearly Christmas card. Kate looks happy and healthy surrounded by her husband and three children. The family also spent time during the holiday season at Anmer Hall, their country home.
She was last seen in public on December 25.
Kate, her husband, and kids attended a Christmas church service on Christmas Day. That’s the last time that the princess was seen making a public appearance. They are all said to have spent time with Kate’s family around the new year.
Then she privately celebrated her 42nd birthday on January 9.
The official Instagram account for the royal family wished “The Princess of Wales a very happy birthday.” According to Vanity Fair, she celebrated with an “informal tea party at the family’s Windsor home.”
How will this affect Prince William and his official duties?
Well, after the holidays, Prince William went back to his duties as a royal on January 11, but it’s been reported that he will most likely be postponing some things to be there for his wife and help out with their kids.
Supposedly, he’s a ‘hands-on’ kind of dad.
According to a source who spoke to People, it’s not like the couple have “a huge private staff,” and “as a result, William is really hands-on” with his kids.
OK, that’s refreshing and good to hear.
“He doesn’t want any mistakes made with the next generation. He wants to give them a proper upbringing and lots of love. That is foremost in his mind,” the same source shared.
Good to know his children’s emotional well-being is a priority.
Get well soon, Kate!
Aside from the seriousness of the situation, it’s kind of shocking that the “planned” surgery managed to be kept out of headlines and even from those close to the family until after the fact, especially when British tabloids seem to report on the latest sneeze if it involves the royal family.
