On Wednesday, those who follow the royal family were taken aback to learn that the Princess of Wales had been admitted to the hospital for abdominal surgery. Though the Princess hasn’t been spotted in public since Christmas at Sandringham, there were some indications in hindsight that Catherine might not return to royal duties as soon as expected.
The Prince and Princess of Wales typically keep a low profile at the beginning of the year while their kids are still on vacation from Lambrook School. But last week, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, and Prince George all went back to school.
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Catherine had not yet made her return to royal duties known, and it is now anticipated that she won’t be going back to work until after Easter. William, on the other hand, relished a public appearance in Leeds, where he presented CBEs to rugby stars Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield at Headingley Stadium.
Furthermore, even though the Princess’s family usually celebrates her birthday in private, this year she did not post a personal message on social media thanking fans and family for their well wishes.
The King and Queen graciously celebrated the day on Instagram by posting a touching message along with a never-before-seen photo of the adored royal from their coronation the previous year. The caption said, “Wishing The Princess of Wales a very happy birthday today!”
Catherine was noticeably absent from a meeting held earlier this month by The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. Below are some photos from the Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood held at Kensington Palace on January 15, which highlights her absence.
Emmy Nash, royal editor of HELLO!, remarks, “This has come as a shock at a time when most of us were expecting to see the Princess back in action with a busy schedule of engagements lined up.”
William, who has drastically rearranged his diary in light of his wife’s hospitalization, will undoubtedly support Catherine and their children, Prince George, ten, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, while she heals.
The couple may now postpone their trip to Italy, which was originally scheduled to be their first joint overseas visit after becoming Prince and Princess of Wales at the government’s request.
On Wednesday, the day following Catherine’s successful surgery, Kensington Place made the announcement. “Her Royal Highness” was the text of their official statement. Yesterday, The London Clinic admitted The Princess of Wales for her scheduled abdominal surgery. After a successful surgery, she should stay in the hospital for ten to fourteen days before going home to continue her recuperation.
“It is unlikely that she will resume her public duties until after Easter, based on the current medical advice. The Princess of Wales is grateful for the attention that her remarks will bring. She hopes that the general public will respect her wish to keep her children’s lives as normal as possible and to keep her private medical records.
As a result, Kensington Palace will only provide updates on Her Royal Highness’s status when there is noteworthy new information to disseminate. The Princess of Wales regrets having to cancel her planned engagements and extends her condolences to everyone involved. She is eager to get as many back as she can, as quickly as she can.”
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The London Clinic had operated on Princess Margaret and treated Prince Philip for “abdominal investigations” in the past. Although the Princess’s condition is thought to not be cancerous, she will need to stay in the hospital for a few more days before being able to recuperate at home.
