Kensington Palace has made a rare statement following days of speculation about Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales’s health.
Following bizarre theories claiming the mother of three is allegedly in a coma or suffering from mental illness, a spokesperson for the Palace has shared an update on the 42-year-old’s condition, stating once more that she is “doing well”.
“We were very clear from the outset that the Princess of Wales was out until after Easter and Kensington Palace would only be providing updates when something was significant,” the statement read.
Her husband Prince William was also seen today for the first time since the Bafta awards on February 19.
The Prince of Wales visited the Western Marble Arch Synagogue in Central London where he met with members of the Holocaust Educational Trust – an organisation that advocates against hatred and antisemitism
While William did not give an update on his wife’s health, he issued a joint statement telling Synagogue advocates: “Both Catherine and I are extremely concerned about the rise in antisemitism that you guys have talked about this morning and I’m just so sorry if any of you have had to experience that, it has no place.
“That’s why I’m here today to reassure you all that people do care and people do listen and we can’t let that go.”
It came after Prince William’s last-minute decision to withdraw from attending his late godfather’s memorial service prompted speculation that it had something to do with Kate. The move fueled theories her recovery may have taken a turn, with the hashtag #WhereIsKate trending on social media sites including X and Instagram.
The Palace has issued few statements regarding the Princess’s health. The first came on January 17 stating she was scheduled to undergo “planned abdominal surgery” and following medical guidance, it was expected she would not return to royal duties until after Easter.
To maintain as much normality as possible for her children, the statement added that it is Kate’s “wish that her personal medical information remains private”. They added that the Palace will “only provide updates on Her Royal Highness’ progress when there is significant new information to share”.
Other updates included telling the public that the Princess returned home from the London Clinic on January 29, 13 days after her surgery, and stated that she was “making good progress”.
Bizarre theories
Multiple theories have started to gain traction on the internet including one that Kate is allegedly in a coma. Spanish journalist Concha Calleja claimed on January 28 during an appearance on the Spanish show Fiesta that the mother of three’s “planned abdominal surgery” was really a hysterectomy gone wrong, resulting in the Princess being put in an induced coma.
A royal insider quickly put an end to the theory, telling the Times there was no truth to it: “No attempt was made by that journalist to fact-check anything that she said with anyone in the household. It’s fundamentally, totally made-up, and I’ll use polite English here: it’s absolutely not the case.”
Another theory came from Queen Camilla’s biographer Angela Levin, who seemingly insinuated the Princess is suffering from mental health issues, after she made a comment about Princess Diana’s mental health struggles and how now that William is “a mature man and he will know that his priority is to look after his wife, who has been so wonderfully supportive to him”.
Why is Kate so private about her surgery?
The royal family are notoriously private about their health, so it comes as no surprise to loyal royalists that Kate is choosing to keep the specific details of her “planned abdominal surgery” private. However, as it comes amid her father-in-law King Charles’ very public cancer battle, many have asked why the difference in transparency.
Speaking to People magazine, an inside source addressed the speculation, claiming it was “sensible” for Charles to be open about his diagnosis “otherwise, people might have thought the worst”.
As for Kate, the nature of her abdominal surgery has been kept private in order to “maintain as much normality” as possible for her three children Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.
The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate. 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’s official statement said.
We know they are a very tight family unit, and he wants to be there for them,” The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy author Robert Hardman says, adding, “So much of what they do with those kids is about normalising life and not making them feel like they are in a special gilded cage.
