Where Is Kate Middleton? Rumors About Her Health After Surgery

Kate Middleton has been out of sight since her abdominal surgery in January, But that doesn’t mean she was crazy. In fact, her absence has raised concerns about her whereabouts.

Prince William’s sudden decision to pull out of an appearance scheduled for Tuesday only fanned the flames of ongoing speculation about the princess. Earlier that day, she had unexpectedly missed a memorial service for her godfather, King Constantine of Greece, who died last year. The palace did not elaborate on her decision to skip it, but saying that his wife “is still well.”

It’s worth noting that even vague health updates like these are historically rare for the royal family, which explains why Middleton has chosen to keep her medical condition a secret.

While many wonder about Kate’s condition, here’s a look at what do know.

Where is Kate Middleton?

According to the palace, the Princess of Wales is recovering at Adelaide Cottage on the royal family’s Windsor Castle estate following her discharge from the London Clinic. The palace has offered no further information about what her exact procedure was, or the conditions that required it, other than that it is not cancerous.

When was Kate Middleton last seen?

The 42-year-old has not been seen publicly since her surgery on January 16. In fact, her last major appearance was in December 2023, when she stepped out with other members of the royal family for her annual walk to attend a Christmas Day service in the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene. Dressed in royal blue from head to toe, Kate was photographed smiling as she strolled alongside Prince William along with her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

The palace has made it clear that they do not plan to give regular updates on his recovery unless “there is important new information to share.” Shortly after his operation, royal officials fixed that he was “unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.” But that hasn’t stopped rumors about Kate’s health problem, with some suggesting it’s more serious than they’ve let on. For example, Spanish journalist Concha Calleja falsely claimed that Kate was in a coma due to complications from her operation and that her life was in “great danger.” An unnamed palace source later vehemently denied her claim in an interview with The times.

“It’s total nonsense,” they told the newspaper. “That journalist made no attempt to verify anything he said with anyone in the house. “It is fundamentally, totally made up, and I will use polite English here: it is not the case at all.”

Of course, it was too late to prevent the rumors from spreading. Social media was already in an uproar.

Has Prince William said anything about Kate’s whereabouts?

Prince William has not offered any further details about his wife’s condition or his sudden withdrawal from his godfather’s funeral. The palace simply chalked it up to a “personal matter” and it’s unclear if he had anything to do with Kate’s recovery.

While William had initially planned to reduce his duties amid his wife’s recovery, the 41-year-old took on some commitments following his father’s cancer diagnosis in February. His last appearance was at the BAFTA Film Awards on February 19, where he shared a rare candid moment with the audience.

“I hope I can catch up,” he said, although he admitted that he had not seen many of the year’s nominated films. “I’ve had other things on my mind. it has been a little [hand motion] – a little like that.”

What are people saying about Kate Middleton?

The internet has gone crazy with false theories. Some believe there is something suspicious about his prolonged absence from the public eye.

On the much less serious side, a user on X, formerly known as Twitter, theorized that Kate was hiding because she was growing her bangs. Another person jokingly posted a photoshopped photo of her walking with her ex. Saturday night live student Pete Davidson.