After nearly two weeks in hospital, Kate Middleton was finally reunited with her family at Adelaide Cottage on Windsor’s grounds. On Monday, Kensington Palace released a statement saying the Princess of Wales had left The London Clinic following her abdominal surgery.
Kate was taken back to Windsor through a private exit at the clinic on Monday afternoon, and now, she is set to stay at their home until after Easter to recover fully.
There has been much speculation as to what the surgery was. Kate Middleton decided not to share any private medical details. However, the princess apparently made a ‘big mistake’ at the hospital. That is, according to a royal insider, who says it could have been easily prevented.
Thirteen days after the statement that Kate Middleton was to undergo a “planned abdominal surgery, now she is finally back home with her children.
Kate Middleton returns home following abdominal surgery
On Monday, the Princess of Wales was discharged from The London Clinic, Kensington Palace announced. She will now recover at her and Prince William’s home at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, and spend quality time with their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
“The Princess of Wales has returned home to Windsor to continue her recovery from surgery. She is making good progress,” Kensington Palace said in a statement released Monday. “The Prince and Princess wish to say a huge thank you to the entire team at The London Clinic, especially the dedicated nursing staff, for the care they have provided.”
The statement continued, “The Wales family continues to be grateful for the well wishes they have received from around the world.”
“Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.”
Prince William visited Kate pretty much every day since her surgery. Reports also suggested that her children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, had visited her.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis ‘never visited’ Kate at the hospital
However, later, sources told several news outlets that they hadn’t. Instead, according to Hello Magazine’s royal editor, Emily Nash, the Princess of Wales has used her phone to call her children via FaceTime.
Not only can they talk to her, but see her through video.
“Kate loves FaceTiming the children when she is working away overseas, so I’m sure they will be in regular contact while she’s in hospital, and the kids will be keen to see her as soon as she’s well enough,” Hello Royal Editor, Emily Nash said, as per Express.
“Both William and Kate are very hands-on parents – they take the kids to school, attend sports matches and concerts and try to be home for bedtime as much as they can. While Kate is in hospital, William will be at home keeping things as normal as possible.”
Prince William will return to royal duty “once the Princess of Wales’ care and recovery is settled,” sources tell the NY Post. There have also been reports that Kate will continue doing some royal work from bed. However, most likely, it will take a while before we spot her in public again.
Kate’s return to royal duties in public “will depend on medical advice closer to the time.” Meanwhile, a doctor has urged Kate not to rush back to work but to ensure she has fully recovered.
Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, and her siblings will be responsible for helping Kate at home during her recovery phase. But Prince William will also do everything he can to ensure his wife has everything she needs.
Former royal butler says William is “very caring” of his wife
Speaking to the NY Post, Grant Harrold, who served as Charles’ butler for seven years during his lengthy time as Prince of Wales, said Kate’s return home will fill a big “void.”
Her family has dearly missed her.
“Like any family, it’s always wonderful when a loved one is able to come back home. I’m sure the kids are really excited to have Kate back,” Harrold told The Post. “It will also be great for William, because when your partner or your loved one isn’t home, it leaves a void.”
Moreover, Grant Harrold says that Kate’s return will also mean that the family can finally return to normal, revealing that Prince William is great about caring for his wife.
“The fact that Kate is back home, behind closed doors, it’ll mean they’re able to return to some sense of normality,” the royal butler added. “He’s a very caring, very loving kind of character and I noticed that a lot when I spent time with them both back in the day,” Harrold recalled. “I’ve no doubt that wouldn’t have changed, William will make sure Kate is cared for and that she has a quick recovery.”
Grant Harrold concluded, “The sooner her recovery, I’m sure the sooner the pair will get back to carrying out their royal duties together, which is something that I think they enjoy. I think they’ll be keen to get back to normal with it. There won’t be a huge team there on hand. It’ll be her husband who’ll mainly be doing that, helping her to get back onto her feet.”
Exactly what Kate’s abdominal surgery was about has not been revealed. The Princess of Wales decided to keep details about her abdominal surgery private, but still, the public wanted to know more about their beloved princess.
Kate Middleton ‘bullied’ into releasing medical details
Still, the fact that people want more from Kate regarding revealing her health issue has concerned a royal expert. Richard Eden appeared on the show Palace Confidential and came to Kate Middleton’s defense. He even said that the public has written letters to The Times and even posted online to demand more information.
He even said that pressuring Kate into giving updates could come across as “bullying.”
“I think that there’s no reason why she should she feel bullied into giving more details,” Eden said. “If she wants to, at a later point, fine, that’s up to her. But, she shouldn’t feel that she has to.”
Eden continued speaking about the comments from the public, saying, “It’s been ‘She should give more details,’ and ‘Why doesn’t she?’”
“And there’s been more pressure, there’s even been letters written to The Times newspaper, saying it would be a great example to other women if she was to be more open about her medical problems and this sort of thing.”
Kate Middleton decided not to share any private medical information about what the abdominal surgery was really about. Of course, that is her right to do, but other family members decided to go another way.
When Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles would be treated at the hospital, they did so by sharing exactly why. On January 17, the palace stated the 75-year-old monarch was to be treated for an enlarged prostate.
“In common with thousands of men each year, the King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate,” the palace said in a statement. “His Majesty’s condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure.”
Kate Middleton made ‘big mistake’ not releasing details about surgery, royal expert claims
King Charles was praised for being open with his corrective procedure, not least because it could inspire other men to visit the hospital and have a checkup.
On the other hand, Kate didn’t disclose her medical issue, which now has left royal expert Daniela Elser arguing that she made a big mistake.
Writing for News.com.au, Elser writes that no one besides the Princess of Wales’ family “knows exactly what is troubling” her. However, the royal expert states that Kate has blown an “enormous opportunity” to raise awareness and possibly help others.
“The abdomen starts with the liver and ends somewhere colon-ish, meaning that there are umpteen reasons why the princess might currently be laid up and enjoying midmorning tele in a pristine starched white room full of bleepy machines and enough flower arrangements to kit out Westminster Abbey,” Elser wrote.”
“No one who is not in the Middleton family chat knows exactly what is troubling the mother-of-three and I can’t help but think that the princess has wasted an enormous opportunity here. Kate could possibly have made a huge difference this month and she has chosen not to.”
The royal expert continued by saying that although Kate “is still human” and “entitled to privacy,” she could have calmed the public by announcing what was wrong with her.
“She has every right to not have to air her every sniffle, ache, and minor rash with the leering public or is not obligated to have her staff put out a press release every time she might get some light symptoms of IBS,” Elser continued.
Kate “passed up on the chance to raise awareness”
“All that has been made known by Kensington Palace about the princess is that whatever is wrong with her is non-cancerous, a detail I’m assuming they only released to prevent mass panic in the aisles of Asda. Tamping down public fears is good and all that but hardly goes much of a ways for such a huge missed opportunity.”
Royal expert Daniela Elser concluded, “The princess has wholly passed up on the chance to raise awareness about whatever might be bedevilling her right now and to possibly also destigmatise whatever illness might be ailing her. Charles, in making me type the word ‘prostate’ far too often, has done the world a great service. So why hasn’t Kate?”
