Kate, Britain’s Princess of Wales, has undergone successful planned abdominal surgery and will be in hospital for up to two weeks, Kensington Palace said on Wednesday. Kate, 42, the wife of heir to the throne Prince William, was last seen in public on Christmas Day when the royal family made their annual visit to a church service near King Charles’ Sandringham home in eastern England, and there was no prior indication she was unwell. The palace statement said Kate was admitted to the London Clinic, a private hospital in the British capital, on Tuesday, and was expected to remain there for 10 to 14 days of treatment before returning home to recover. “The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate,” the statement said. “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.”
Quick Read
- Hospitalization for Surgery: The Princess of Wales has been hospitalized following planned abdominal surgery and is expected to stay at The London Clinic for up to two weeks.
- Return to Duties Post-Easter: Kensington Palace announced that Kate Middleton, 42, is expected to resume public duties after Easter.
- Privacy Request: The palace emphasized Kate’s desire for privacy regarding her medical information and maintaining normality for her children.
- Apology for Postponed Engagements: Kate has expressed regret for postponing her upcoming engagements due to her hospitalization.
- Background: Kate Middleton, born in Reading, England, is the daughter of a flight attendant and a flight dispatcher and grew up with a younger sister and brother.
- Education and Meeting Prince William: She attended Marlborough College and met Prince William at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.
- Role in the Royal Family: Following Prince Harry and Meghan’s move to California, Kate and Prince William have become prominent and popular figures in the royal family.
- Public Image: Kate is known for her engaging public presence, participating in various royal and community events.
The Associated Press has the story:
Kate, the Princess of Wales, hospitalized for up to 2 weeks after abdominal surgery
Newslooks- LONDON (AP) —
The Princess of Wales has been hospitalized after undergoing planned abdominal surgery and will remain at The London Clinic for up to two weeks, Kensington Palace said Wednesday.
The Princess Kate Middleton is expected to return to public duties after Easter, the palace said. The 42-year-old future queen was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday.
“The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate,” the palace said. “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.”
The palace said that Kate, the wife of Prince William, wished to apologize for postponing her upcoming engagements.
“She looks forward to reinstating as many as possible, as soon as possible,” the palace said.
A royal by choice — not birth — Kate is the daughter of a flight attendant and a flight dispatcher. Born in Reading, England, on Jan. 9, 1982, Catherine Elizabeth Middleton grew up with a younger sister, Pippa, and a younger brother, James.
The family is from a well-to-do area of Berkshire, west of London, and moved to Jordan when Kate was 2 years old because of her father’s work. They returned to England in 1986, and Kate attended the exclusive Marlborough College, where she was active in sports such as tennis.
She first met met Prince William, the elder son of the late Princess Diana and King Charles III, at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.
After Prince Harry and Meghan’s stormy departure to California in 2020, the Prince and Princess of Wales have solidified their position as being among the most popular members of the royal family. Kate, in particular, has remained a reliable royal in the public eye — the smiling mother of three who can comfort grieving parents at a children’s hospice or wow the nation by playing piano during a televised Christmas concert.
She was among the royals who appeared at the annual Christmas Day service at Sandringham.
