Princess Kate Is In Hospital Following Planned Abdominal Surgery, Will Be Away from Royal Duties Until At Least April

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 17 January 2024

Kensington Palace released a statement regarding the health of the Princess of Wales, which said she was “admitted to hospital yesterday for planned abdominal surgery.” The Palace added that “The surgery was successful, and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for 10 to 14 days, before returning home to continue her recovery.”

Based on the current medical advice, the Palace added, Kate is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter, which this year falls on Sunday, March 31.

“The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate,” the statement continued. “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 added that it will “only provide updates on Her Royal Highness’ progress when there is significant new information to share.”

The statement also added that Kate apologizes for having to postpone upcoming engagements and that “She looks forward to reinstating as many [engagements] as possible, as soon as possible.”

Kate was last seen publicly on Christmas Day, when she and the rest of the royal family took part in the traditional walk to St. Mary Magdelene Church from the Sandringham Estate. Kate’s 42nd birthday was January 9, the same week her three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis returned to school at Lambrook.

We’ll continue to update this story as it develops. We wish Her Royal Highness a speedy recovery and have her in our thoughts.

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.

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