Kate Middleton Finally Breaks Silence After Worrying Surgery In First Message To The Public

Mar 11, 2024

Early 2024 saw the British royal family rocked by news of serious health issues. Buckingham Palace announced on Jan. 17, 2024, that King Charles III was scheduled to undergo hospital treatment the following week for an enlarged prostate. The next day, his wife, Queen Camilla, said Charles was feeling “fine” and “looking forward to getting back to work.” 

That same day, Kensington Palace revealed in a statement that the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, had undergone abdominal surgery that had been scheduled the day prior at the London Clinic. It said the surgery had been “successful” and that the princess would remain at the hospital for a 10–14-day recovery period. However, the statement added that Kate was unlikely to resume her usual royal duties until after Easter.

News of the pair’s hospitalization led to an outpouring of well wishes and support from their supporters across the world. This came as no surprise as both Charles and Kate are among some of the most popular members of the royal family.

Charles ascended the throne after the death of Britain's longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, on Sept. 8, 2022. As king, Charles endeavored to ensure the royal family remained in good standing with the public, adapting to modern times to prevent the institution from being perceived as outdated.

Another reason why the royal family remains popular is Kate. Since her marriage to Prince William in April 2011, she’s captured the hearts of the public with her duty to the British crown, her kind and attentive nature, and her fashionable sense of style. Kate is known for her poise, elegance and charm. 

Read on to find out more about how the royal family is faring in this challenging time.

King Charles III was admitted to the London Clinic for specific treatment on Jan. 26, 2024. He was discharged after three nights. The palace later announced that all his prior engagements would be postponed to allow him sufficient time to rest and recuperate. In the following days, Queen Camilla again stated that Charles had been “doing his best” since the treatment before the pair made their first public appearance together on Feb. 4, 2024, at Sandringham Church. There, Charles gave the crowd a reassuring wave, raising the people’s spirits. This reassurance was short-lived as Buckingham Palace disclosed devastating news the following day.

It revealed that, during Charles’ prostate treatment, “diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer,” while stressing it was not prostate cancer. The statement said the king had “commenced a schedule of regular treatments” while his public-facing duties were postponed on the advice of his doctors. However, the 75-year-old monarch would “continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual,” it added.

Meanwhile, Kensington Palace did not elaborate on what specific health issue Kate Middleton was suffering from but stressed it was not cancer-related. The public was quick to offer their well-wishes for a speedy recovery as the media jumped into high gear, with reports the princess had slipped into a coma being resoundingly refuted as “total nonsense.” Scores of photographers were assigned to the London Clinic in an attempt to garner photos of the princess upon her departure. They were, however, unsuccessful, as news would later surface that Kate had left the hospital without her exit being spotted. 

Twelve days later, on Jan. 29, 2024, the palace released another statement revealing that Kate had returned to her residence in Windsor Castle to continue recuperating from the surgery and that she was “making good progress.”

After leaving the hospital, Kate settled into her home at Adelaide Cottage in Home Park, Windsor. There, she recuperated comfortably among family and leaned on their loyal staff, including long-time nanny Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo. Meanwhile, Prince William reportedly took the lead in caring for their three children, switching to “100% family first, day job second” mode, according to a Sunday Times source. 

According to the National Health Service (NHS), it is generally expected that those recovering from abdominal surgery may need to wait two to three months before moving around comfortably. They must also avoid lifting heavy weights above two or three kilograms (about 4.4 to 6.6 pounds). Standing and sitting exercises are recommended to help rebuild the core area. However, the abdominal area can take up to two years to return to its original strength for full recovery. 

While Kate’s return to her royal duties will no doubt depend on the advice of her doctors, some estimated her recovery would take longer than suggested, even up to nine months, according to one expert. Others lauded the princess for taking the time she needed to rest and recuperate, with one royal household insider telling People:

“It is sensible to take the time. … That is a great example to the rest of us, as you’re often told to get back to work as soon as possible, which can be damaging. It is good for all of us to see her taking the time, recovering properly and then coming back. We can all learn from that.”   

Meanwhile, others found optimism in the fact that William has already made a partial return to his royal duties, attending a fundraiser for London’s Air Ambulance on Feb. 7, 2024. There, he spoke about his family’s recent health issues in public for the first time and thanked the public “for the kind messages and support for Catherine and for my father,” adding it “means a great deal to us all.”

As both Charles and Kate remain M.I.A. from the public eye, calls have grown for more transparency to quell speculation and concern. Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith said it was “important for Charles and his reign for the public to know a little bit more,” and that the “monarchy needs to be that anchor in times of trouble, and any sense of instability, which is inevitable when you have two of the key players out of action, is understandable.” She added:

“Everybody feels unsettled by uncertainty, and there is too much uncertainty that is surrounding the monarchy right now.”

Another biographer, Catherine Mayer, said the simultaneous health crises were “massively exposing how the royal family has gone from too many people to too few in a short space of time.”

Since Charles and Kate’s hospitalization, their respective spouses stepped up to lead the monarchy in their absence. Queen Camilla attended numerous events, including a ceremony at Clarence House on Feb. 13, 2024, where she was installed as Honorary Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers. 

While Charles did return to holding his weekly meetings with the prime minister in person, the only sighting of Kate was on March 4, 2024, when she was spotted in a car with her mother, Carole Middleton. However, instead of quashing rumors and putting conspiracy theories to rest, the grainy photograph of Kate wearing large sunglasses that hid her expression only served to amp up the public’s yearning for more information. As the photograph stirred even more debate and speculation, Prince William was compelled to break the silence on the issue. A spokesman for the prince said:

“His focus is on his work and not on social media."

Finally, on March 10, 2024, Kate released her first personal message to the public since her surgery more than a month prior. Lifting the spirits of fans and supporters, she released an endearing photo of herself on social media surrounded by her three children to mark Mother’s Day in Britain. The caption read:

“Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day.”

It was undersigned “C” in a personal touch by the princess. Another delightful surprise that had fans fawning included the credit for the photo, which revealed Kate’s husband, William, to be the one behind the camera who had expertly captured the marvelous candid shot of his beautiful family.

While Kate’s gesture was initially appreciated by the public and royal watchers, an issue with the photograph was spotted and led to numerous news agencies issuing a “kill notification.” This is an industry term referring to the mandatory retraction and pulling of the photo from publication. Among the agencies that issued the notice are Getty Images, AFP, Reuters, and Associated Press (AP), after it noticed “inconsistency in alignment of Princess Charlotte's left hand.”

AP added in a message to its subscribers: 

“At closer inspection it appears that the source has manipulated the image. No replacement photo will be sent.”

While the kill notice doesn’t necessarily imply that the photo itself is completely doctored – highly unlikely for Kensington Palace, which curates the Wales’ public presence with extreme precision – it does suggest the error may have simply been the result of an oversight during a touching-up process.

Many news outlets adhere to their individual stringent protocols regarding the utilization of altered images, opting to employ them solely alongside a clarification indicating the alteration from the original.

What are your thoughts on the photo? We’d love to hear your thoughts and well wishes for King Charles III and the Princess of Wales during this challenging time. Feel free to let us know your messages and pass this along to your family and friends who may want to do the same.