Kate Middleton, also referred to as Catherine, the Princess of Wales, has been noticeably out of the public eye for an extended period. Married to Prince William, the heir apparent to the British throne, Middleton is recognized for her support of various causes while carrying out her responsibilities to the throne.
One notable aspect of Middleton’s duties includes participating in public appearances, which she hasn’t necessarily done in the past few months. With that said, all of the conspiracy theories related to Middleton have been put to rest after one official announcement.
Kate Middleton Has Been Gone From The Public Eye For A While Now
In the typical rhythm of her post-holiday schedule, Kate Middleton is usually engaged in royal activities throughout January. However, this year marked a departure from the norm. Following a busy December and a Christmas appearance with the royal family, both Princess Kate and Prince William maintained a notably low profile in the first weeks of 2024, with only one solo outing for Prince William.
On January 17, the palace revealed that the 42-year-old Princess of Wales had undergone planned abdominal surgery the day before. She spent nearly two weeks in the hospital before transitioning to home recovery, with a return to public engagements anticipated post-Easter.
After Prince William unexpectedly withdrew from a memorial service honoring his late godfather, apprehensions about Princess Kate Middleton’s well-being have surged online, giving rise to various conspiracy theories.
While a palace source informed PEOPLE that Kate “continues to be doing well” in her recovery, the dearth of updates about the Princess of Wales has raised concerns. All that is known at this point is that the issue she faced was non-cancerous.
Kensington Palace informed reporters just before the service, and Prince William personally notified King Constantine’s family. Despite concerns over her recovery, a Palace aide assured she “continues to be doing well.” The Princess hasn’t been seen publicly since her January 16 surgery at the London Clinic. Her last appearance was on Christmas Day last year at Sandringham House.
One Announcement Finally Cleared The Air On Kate Middleton’s Status
After a period of keeping a low profile during Princess Kate’s hospitalization and recovery at home, the Prince of Wales returned to royal duties. On February 7, he hosted an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle and attended London’s Air Ambulance Charity Gala Dinner. During the event, Prince William expressed gratitude for the support received during Catherine’s health challenges and his father’s recent news, adding a lighthearted remark about the recent medical focus in his life.
A friend shared with PEOPLE about Prince William’s return to public life, stating, “He is coping remarkably well considering his wife had surgery, and he only found out about his father’s news recently.”
Prince William spent the school break with his children and Kate in Norfolk, and since then, he has visited the British Red Cross headquarters, hosted another investiture ceremony, and attended the BAFTAs.
Apologizing for his wife’s absence at the BAFTAs, Prince William mentioned, “I’m sorry Catherine’s not here. She does love the BAFTAs,” noting he hadn’t seen all the nominees due to “other things on my mind.”
The palace announced that the Princess of Wales is unlikely to resume public duties until after Easter, following her surgery.
“Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.”
While it’s uncertain if Kate Middleton will join in late March, the Royal family typically attends Easter church service, and last year marked the debut of Prince Louis at the event. We will have to wait and see when exactly Middleton will make her triumphant return to the public eye.
