By Wonderwall.com Editors
3:00am PST, Jan 20, 2024
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Princess Kate is reportedly "doing well" in the hospital and Queen Camilla shared an update on King Charles III's condition on Jan. 18 amid news the two British royals are facing health issues.
Kensington Palace announced on Jan. 17 that Kate, 42, was recovering from a "planned abdominal surgery" and was expected to remain hospitalized for 10 to 14 days. She was admitted to the hospital on Jan. 16, per the palace, and treated "successfully" for a non-cancerous condition.
Just a few hours later, Buckingham Palace announced Charles, 75, had "sought treatment for an enlarged prostate" and would soon undergo a "corrective procedure" for the "benign" condition.
While the nature of Kate's abdominal concern remains undisclosed, new information has surfaced regarding her recovery.
Keep reading for more details …
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According to an "Entertainment Tonight" source, the Princess of Wales is "doing well" after her second night at the private London Clinic as of Jan. 18 but had not yet seen her children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5. She has had at least one visitor, though.
Prince William visited Princess Kate in the hospital the morning of Jan. 18, Kensington Palace confirmed to British outlet The Telegraph.
"He is understood to be planning to spend as much time as possible with the princess while she recuperates, balancing daytime visits with caring for their three children at home in Windsor," the paper reported.
Keep reading to see the palace's statement on Kate's surgery and more…
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Princess Kate is expected to follow up her hospitalization with a further recovery period at home and will probably be unable to maintain her royal schedule as planned, according to Kensington Palace.
Prince William will also suspend his royal duties while supporting Kate and caring for the couple's children.
"The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate," Kensington Palace said in a statement on Jan. 17. "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."
MORE: The best pictures from Princess Kate's first year as the new Princess of Wales
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The palace went on to convey Princess Kate's apologies for the unexpected change of public plans.
"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," the statement read.
Exactly when that will be is unclear, though.
"Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter," Kensington Palace said.
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Speaking to "Entertainment Tonight," royal expert Katie Nicholl noted, "… it's quite unusual that we've been given so much information, and this is a breach of real royal protocol."
She said the unexpected information is probably coming out "to quash any speculation" so the palace can try "to control some of that narrative" before rumors ignite and take hold on social media. Still, she said, it's likely Kate underwent a "serious operation" given the amount of recovery time that's been indicted.
The princess's last public appearance prior to her surgery was on Christmas Day when she and Prince William, along with their children and other members of the British royal family including King Charles III, walked to church together as they do every year and greeted supporters outside after the service.
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At the time, both King Charles III and Princess Kate appeared to be in good health and good spirits while celebrating the holiday.
While Kate has opted to maintain privacy around her condition, Charles reportedly shared more detail in the interest of inspiring other men with similar symptoms to get checked out.
"In common with thousands of men each year, The King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate," Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Jan. 17, shortly after Kensington Palace revealed Kate had been hospitalized.
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"His Majesty's condition is benign, and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure," the palace's statement continued.
"The King's public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation."
The palaces' statements about King Charles III and Princess Kate immediately sparked widespread curiosity in Britain. That's because the royal family's health matters have traditionally been kept under wraps, owing to a tradition that began when the monarchy held more state power than it does today.
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As royal expert Katie Nicholl indicated to "Entertainment Tonight," the health revelations were extremely unusual.
According to ABC News, Charles and Kate's apparently benign conditions still made front page headlines as "royal health bombshells."
The outlet also reported the announcements were "seen by some royal observers as a sign that the monarchy is adapting to modern communications after centuries of staying tight-lipped about health matters."
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Queen Camilla's response to a question about King Charles III' health at a public event on Jan. 18 is a case in point. While visiting the Aberdeen Art Gallery in Aberdeen, Scotland, the queen was asked how her husband was feeling.
"How is His Majesty?" Lord Lieutenant of Aberdeen Dr. David Cameron asked in an ITV video clip shared on X.
"He's fine, thank you very much. Looking forward to getting back to work," Camilla replied.
Camilla was at the gallery to officially open a new "Safe Space" intended to offer support and information to anyone who suspects someone may be living with domestic violence, according to People magazine.
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While Queen Camilla was back at work handling royal duties in the wake of her husband's health announcement on Jan. 17, King Charles III stayed out of the spotlight the week the news broke.
He was, however, photographed with Camilla on their way to a service at Crathie Kirk near the king's Scottish estate, Balmoral, on Sunday, Jan. 14.
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Shortly before he was forced to postpone his royal duties amid Princess Kate's health issues, Prince William visited Headingley Stadium in Leeds, England, on Jan. 11, to meet with rugby coach Kevin Sinfield and award him the Commander of the British Empire (CBE).
Kevin reportedly earned the honor in light of his work raising awareness of motor neurone disease.
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Princess Kate, meanwhile, helped open a new children's surgery unit in London back in December, prior to her recent medical care.
