Kensington Palace shares update on Kate Middleton as rumors swirl about her health

Kate, Princess of Wales, is “doing well” as she continues to recover from abdominal surgery, according to a Kensington Palace spokesperson.

The spokesperson dismissed recent speculation on social media about Kate’s health, telling ABC News in a statement on Thursday: “Kensington Palace made clear in January the timelines for the princess’s recovery and we would only provide meaningful updates. “That orientation remains.”

Previously, the last major update the palace had provided about Kate came on January 29, when Kate returned to her home in Windsor after a nearly two-week hospital stay after undergoing what the palace described as a “planned abdominal surgery” in mid-January.

The lack of updates on Kate’s health, combined with her absence from the public eye, as well as the fact that her husband, Prince William, recently missed a royal engagement due to a “personal matter”, have led to speculation rampant online about Kate’s well-being.

Here’s the latest on Kate’s health and what’s publicly known.

Kate’s last public appearance was on Christmas Day.

Kate, 42, made her last public appearance on Christmas Day, when she attended church with members of the royal family.

Kate was seen smiling and waving to fans as she walked to the royal family’s traditional Christmas morning service at Sandringham alongside William and her three children, Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte.

The Welsh were also joined by other members of the royal family, including King Charles III and his wife, Queen Camilla.

Kate underwent abdominal surgery in January.

Less than a month after Christmas, on January 17, Kensington Palace announced that Kate had been admitted the day before to the London Clinic for “planned abdominal surgery.”

The palace did not provide further details about the type of surgery Kate underwent, but confirmed to ABC News at the time that the princess’ medical problem was not cancerous.

“The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate,” the palace said in a statement issued on January 17. “She hopes the public understands her desire to maintain as much normality as possible for her children; and her desire that her personal medical information remain private.”

“The Princess of Wales would like to apologize to all those affected for having to postpone her upcoming engagements,” the statement continued. “She hopes to reintegrate as many as possible, as soon as possible.”

William, the heir to the throne, postponed his public engagements while Kate was hospitalized.

He was seen privately entering and leaving the London Clinic to visit Kate during her stay. The couple’s three children are not believed to have visited Kate in hospital.

Kate is now recovering at home.

The palace announced on January 29, almost two weeks after Kate had surgery, that the princess had been discharged from the hospital.

From there, Kate continued her recovery at the family home in Windsor, about 30 miles from London.

“The Princess of Wales has returned to her home in Windsor to continue her recovery from surgery. She is progressing well,” a palace spokesperson said in a statement at the time. “The Prince and Princess would like to say a huge thank you to all the team at The London Clinic, especially the dedicated nursing staff, for the care provided.”

The spokesman added: “The Welsh family remains grateful for the good wishes they have received from around the world.”

Since returning from hospital, Kate has also spent time with her family at Anmer Hall, their home in Norfolk.

William has issued a public statement regarding Kate’s health.

After taking time off while Kate was hospitalized, William returned to public duties on February 7, replacing his father to lead an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.

Later that day, William joined actor Tom Cruise at a central London hotel for a charity fundraising gala for the London Air Ambulance.

At the gala, William made his first and so far only public comments about Kate.

“I would like to take this opportunity to also thank Catherine and my father for their kind messages of support, especially in recent days,” William said. “It means a lot to all of us.”

Continuing with a joke, William continued: “It’s fair to say the last few weeks have had a rather ‘medical’ focus. So I thought I’d come to an air ambulance function to get away from it all.”

Since then, William has attended the BAFTAS alone, an event where Kate is traditionally at his side.

On Tuesday, William sparked speculation after he missed a Thanksgiving service for his godfather, King Constantine of Greece, at St. George’s Chapel, citing a “personal matter.”

William returned to public duties on Thursday and visited the Western Marble Arch synagogue in London.

Kate has been completely out of the public eye while recovering, unlike Charles.

William’s father Charles was briefly hospitalized at the London Clinic at the same time as Kate in January.

Charles I stayed several nights at The London Clinic. for a planned procedure to treat an enlarged prostate.

Shortly after being released from hospital, Buckingham Palace announced that the 75-year-old king had been diagnosed with cancer.

The palace has not specified Charles’s type of cancer, the stage of the cancer or the type of treatment he is receiving.

However, in contrast to Kate’s absence, Charles has been seen publicly since his diagnosis, including Attending church with Camilla in Sandringham. and traveling to and from London for treatment.

Last week, the palace released photographs of Charles reading some of the cards and letters of well wishes the palace says the king received.

Kate’s first public appearance could be on or around Easter Sunday

At the time of her surgery, the palace said Kate was not likely to resume her public duties until later this spring.

In previous years, William, Kate and their children have been photographed walking to church on Easter Sunday.