Princess Kate ‘Doing Well’ After Abdominal Surgery, But Won’t Return to Duties Until Easter

Catherine, the Princess of Wales was admitted to hospital for planned abdominal surgery on Tuesday and is now in recovery that may take months, indicating a potentially serious procedure.

Britain’s future Queen, Catherine the Princess of Wales is “doing well” after her abdominal surgery this week, a Royal source cited by Reuters said on Thursday. Kensington Palace said Kate was due to spend up to two weeks recovering from the unspecified — but non-cancerous — operation in hospital before taking more rest at home.

The 42-year-old Princess, who married the heir to the throne of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and ten other Commonwealth Realms besides Prince William of Wales in 2011 after meeting at university is not now expected to return to her busy programme of official engagements until after Easter.

The news of the operation came the same day Buckingham Palace revealed the King himself was due to go into hospital next week for a procedure for an enlarged prostate, which was also said to be non-cancerous.

To have one public announcement on a matter of Royal health is unusual, but to have two on the same day is unheard of. The Palace kept a strict policy of silence on such matters during the era of the late Queen Elizabeth II, apparently wishing to keep such matters out of the public eye, but the level of secrecy did invite speculation. At times when it was clear the Queen had been unwell but no statements had been made speculation in the media and among the public may have become unhelpful, and it is clear from this new openness that the King has decided to chart a new course.

As noted, this change has been relatively gradual, with the public being made aware of health issues and hospital stays for the Duke of Edinburgh before he passed in 2021, and of surgery undergone by the now-Queen Camilla in 2007.

With the King about to be admitted to hospital, the Princess of Wales in recovery, and her husband the Prince of Wales taking time off to help care for her, the Royal Family is about to enter a period where its star players are all out of action at once, not a minor consideration given it has in recent years reduced in size to become more efficient. It is reported a lot of the slack is to be taken on by the Princess Royal, the 73-year-old Princess Anne, seen as one of the most steadfast and hard-working members of the Royal Family.