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While the British royals are no strangers to a life in the spotlight, intense media attention this week was perhaps unexpected as speculation about Kate Middleton’s health and recovery reached a fever pitch online.
Here’s what happened with the House of Windsor this week:
Speculations about Kate Middleton’s health
The Princess of Wales was last seen publicly on December 25, 2023.
On Wednesday, Prince William unexpectedly pulled out of attending a Thanksgiving service for his godfather, the late King Constantine of Greece, less than an hour before the service was to begin. Citing a personal matter over the prince’s absence, Kensington Palace quickly clarified that Kate Middleton, who has not been seen in public since Christmas and underwent abdominal surgery in January, remains well, perhaps out of concern that royal observers link William’s absence with his wife’s recovery.
This chain of events seemingly created the perfect storm for speculation about Kate’s health and whereabouts to explode online. On Thursday, in response to the rumors and conspiracy theories, a spokesperson for Kate said Terms and Conditions“Kensington Palace made the timelines for the Princess’s recovery clear in January and we will only provide meaningful updates. That guidance remains.” In an earlier statement, the Palace said they would keep Kate’s diagnosis private, explaining: “She hopes the public understands her wish to maintain as much normality as possible for her children; and her wish for her personal medical information to remain private.”
The spokesperson reiterated that Kate is “doing well,” but again did not share details. That did little to quell speculation, and William, at his engagements in London on Thursday and in Wrexham on Friday, maintained his policy of not commenting on Kate’s health.
A shocking death in the family
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent in Windsor, just hours before the death of their son-in-law was made public.
Hours after the service for Constantine ended, Buckingham Palace shared the news that Thomas Kingston, the son-in-law of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, had died in a shocking death aged 45. The husband of Lady Gabriella Windsor, Kingston was found dead in Gloucestershire on Sunday night. The investigation into his tragic death began yesterday, although there are no suspicious circumstances.
In a statement on behalf of Lady Gabriella Kingston, Thomas’ parents Martin and Jill Kingston, and his sisters Joanna Connolly and Emma Murray, Buckingham Palace shared: “It is with the deepest sadness that we announce the death of Thomas Kingston, our beloved husband. “Son and brother. Tom was an exceptional man who illuminated the lives of all who knew him. “His death has been a huge shock to the entire family and we ask that you respect our privacy as we mourn his passing.”
The prominence of Prince Andrew
Prince Andrew, left, walks to the Thanksgiving service in honor of King Constantine with other members of the British royal family.
On Wednesday, Prince Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, walked ahead of the Windsor group as they headed to St. George’s Chapel for Constantine’s funeral. Prince Andrew was also photographed sitting in the front row of the chapel. The prominence and visibility was notable for Andrew, as he stepped down from royal duties in November 2019 and has only made a few public appearances with the royal family in the years since, including the coronation of his brother. In January 2024, the Duke of York was named in court documents relating to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Queen Camilla and Prince William continue their royal duties
Queen Camilla and Tom Hiddleston during a reception for the BBC 500 Words finalists at Buckingham Palace.
While King Charles continues to receive treatment for his cancer diagnosis, he remains out of the public eye, but Queen Camilla continues with her normal schedule of royal engagements. This week, the Queen met Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska and hosted a reception for the BBC 500 Words finalists at Buckingham Palace. After Charles’ cancer diagnosis was announced, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “Her Majesty will continue with a full program of public duties.”
Other royals have also continued to fulfill engagements, including Prince William (although he has scaled back his involvement to support Kate in her recovery), Princess Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess from Edinburgh. (The Edinburghs were notably absent this week, as they were on a skiing holiday in Switzerland.) The other two senior royals, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra, have receded from public life due to their age, although the elder brothers (and Queen Elizabeth’s first cousins) attended the memorial service for Constantine.
Emily Burak (she/her) is the senior news editor at Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, royalty and a variety of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was an associate editor at Hello soul, a site of Jewish culture. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and instagram.