Royals issue health update for Kate Middleton as curiosity grows about princess out of public eye

Kate, the Princess of Wales, will return to royal engagements after Easter, Kensington Palace said in a new update amid concerns over her lack of public appearances following her surgery.

The princess was last seen attending a service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Norfolk ahead of the planned abdominal surgery on 16 January at an undisclosed location.

Since her return home to Windsor in late January, the princess has not been seen in public, which has led to growing concerns about her health.

Theories about her absence intensified online after Prince William bowed out of a planned appearance at a memorial service of his godfather, King Constantine of the Hellenes, who died in January last year. William attributed an unspecified “personal reason” for missing the service.

Addressing the rumours, a spokesperson with the Kensington Palace said: “We were very clear from the outset that the Princess of Wales was out until after Easter and Kensington Palace would only be providing updates when something was significant.”

The Palace earlier this week told The Independent that the princess was “doing well” as she recovered from the procedure.

She will be under the careful watch of royal doctors and also benefit from the London Clinic’s aftercare, with dedicated physiotherapists on hand with a personalised plan and a video check-up at home with a nurse specialist on offer.