Assuaging fears about her health, Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, was spotted in public for the first time since undergoing stomach surgery in January.
Pictures of Middleton and her mother Carole Middleton driving around Windsor Castle over the weekend were obtained by TMZ. Kensington Palace pleaded for her to be allowed to recover in private, therefore the images were not released in the United Kingdom.
Middleton hasn’t been spotted since joining the Royal Family for Christmas festivities towards the end of last year.
Middleton was sent to a hospital in London on January 17th, according to a statement released by Kensington Palace, for “planned abdominal surgery.”
Kate Middleton seen for the first time in months riding in the passenger seat of a car being driven by her mother. pic.twitter.com/j0GVr3YUbj
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) March 4, 2024
The satisfactory completion of the treatment was later noted in the notification, which emphasized that Middleton will require a minimum of two weeks to recuperate in the hospital before undergoing a prolonged recuperation at her Windsor residence. The note also stated that the princess probably wouldn’t get back to her normal schedule until after Easter.
Later, a representative declared that Middleton wanted her medical records to remain private and that an update would only be given in the event that there was “significant new information to share.”
In spite of the press announcements, rumors over Middleton’s location and health had taken center stage in recent weeks. Every day on X, the hashtag “WhereIsKateMiddleton” became popular, and many media sites, including the New York Times, questioned if there was more to the tale.
Although the palace has not responded to the images, it has acknowledged that photographers were able to obtain pictures that they planned not to publish. The palace does not plan to release regular updates on Middleton’s health, the statement continued.
On January 29, Kate was discharged from the hospital and went back to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor to be with her kids and finish her recuperation.
