Princess Kate hospitalized after 'planned abdominal surgery,' palace says

ByKatie Kindelan ABCNews logo
Thursday, January 18, 2024

Kate, the Princess of Wales, is recovering after undergoing abdominal surgery, Kensington Palace confirmed Wednesday.



Kate, who turned 42 last week, was admitted Tuesday to The London Clinic for a "planned" surgery, according to the palace.



The palace did not provide further details on the type of surgery Kate underwent, but confirmed to ABC News that the princess's medical issue is non-cancerous.



The surgery was "successful," according to the palace, but Kate, the wife of Prince William and mom of their three young kids, is expected to remain hospitalized for 10 to 14 days before returning to the family's home to recover.



The palace noted that Kate's hospitalization means she is not likely to resume her public duties "until after Easter."



"The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate," the palace said in a statement. "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 Princess of Wales wishes to apologise to all those concerned for the fact that she has to postpone her upcoming engagements," the statement continued. "She looks forward to reinstating as many as possible, as soon as possible."



Kate's last public appearance was on Christmas Day, when she joined members of the royal family for their traditional Christmas morning service at Sandringham, the royal family's estate in Norfolk, England.



Kate was seen walking to church alongside William and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.



William and Kate and their children now live in Windsor, where Kate is expected to spend her recovery.



The family moved in 2022 from Kensington Palace, located in the heart of London, to Adelaide Cottage, a four-bedroom cottage on the grounds of Windsor Castle, around 20 miles outside of the city.

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