Kate Middleton's chosen hospital—where she had abdominal surgery—is facing a further allegations it delayed reporting an alleged breach of her medical privacy.
The Princess of Wales went under the knife on January 16 and was discharged a little short of two weeks later to recover at home.
Three staff members are reportedly under investigation over attempts to access Kate's private medical information.
The clinic reported the matter to the Information Commissioner's Office but a further investigation is now said to be under way into whether the clinic wrongly delayed flagging the breach.
The Guardian suggested the "timeliness of reporting" was part of the investigation into the clinic.
One major issue for bosses will be whether they survive the scandal with their reputation intact among their rich and famous clientele, including the royals.
Kate was not the first royal treated there. Prince Philip also had abdominal surgery at the clinic in 2013.
Nor was she the last, after King Charles III also chose the clinic for a procedure to address an enlarged prostate. It is not believed there was any attempt to access his medical records.
However, it is not the only private hospital they use. For example, Prince Philip was treated at the King Edward VII's Hospital, in London, in February and March 2021, shortly before his death that April.
Will Richmond-Coggan, data and privacy litigation partner at Freeths LLP, said: "While any patient is entitled to the privacy of their medical records, the fact that a patient is in the public eye should be reflected in a heightened level of security and safeguards for their information.
"It will also be a factor in any sanction for a breach of such records—there is a world of difference between inadvertent unauthorized access to information, and someone deliberately setting out to intrude into a patient's privacy, whether that is for idle curiosity or because they are hoping to use the information to sell to the media."
Al Russell, chief executive of the clinic, said in a statement released to Newsweek on Wednesday: "Everyone at The London Clinic is acutely aware of our individual, professional, ethical and legal duties with regards to patient confidentiality.
"We take enormous pride in the outstanding care and discretion we aim to deliver for all our patients that put their trust in us every day.
"We have systems in place to monitor management of patient information and, in the case of any breach, all appropriate investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken.
"There is no place at our hospital for those who intentionally breach the trust of any of our patients or colleagues."
Jack Royston is Newsweek's chief royal correspondent based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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Jack Royston is Newsweek's Chief Royal Correspondent based in London, U.K. He reports on the British royal family—including King Charles ... Read more
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