Kate Middleton Has Surgery

Kate Middleton has had "successful" planned abdominal surgery and will be in the hospital for up to two weeks, Kensington Palace announced.

The Princess of Wales apologized for having to cancel royal engagements so she could go under the knife at The London Clinic, where she will remain for 10 to 14 days.

Kate is unlikely to return to royal duties until after Easter as she takes time to let her body recover from the medical intervention. The announcement came less than two hours before Buckingham Palace announced King Charles III is also expected to have a hospital procedure next week on an enlarged prostate.

Kensington Palace said in a statement: "Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales was admitted to The London Clinic yesterday for planned abdominal surgery.

"The surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery. Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.

"The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate. 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.

"Kensington Palace will, therefore, only provide updates on Her Royal Highness' progress when there is significant new information to share.

"The Princess of Wales wishes to apologize to all those concerned for the fact that she has to postpone her upcoming engagements. She looks forward to reinstating as many as possible, as soon as possible."

Royal author Robert Jobson told Newsweek: "We shouldn't worry unduly. She is in safe hands. No chances will have been taken, and it was not cancerous."

Queen Camilla is patron of the London Clinic, a full-service private hospital that treats 120,000 patient cases a year and has 190 patient beds.

While it is not known what kind of abdominal surgery the princess has had, some operations are priced on the hospital's website at £3,350 (around $4,200).

During her recovery, Kate will be treated to food from some of Britain's most famous suppliers, including Billingsgate Fish Market. The London Clinic's website states: "We prepare all our dishes with fresh produce and, where possible, we buy our ingredients locally and source our fish sustainably. We have long-standing relationships with Smithfield Meat Market, Billingsgate, Home Counties farms and Cornish day boats."

Dickie Arbiter, Queen Elizabeth II's former press secretary, was among those to wish Kate a quick recovery: "The Princess of Wales has been admitted to the #LondonClinic for abdominal surgery, where she is likely to remain for ten days before returning to her Windsor home to recouperate.

"She is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter. I am sure I speak for everyone in wishing HRH a speedy recovery."

Update 01/17/24, 11:37 a.m. ET: This article was updated to add that King Charles III will be undergoing a hospital procedure for an enlarged prostate.

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.

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