10 HOT STORIES
The Princess of Wales does much of the heavy lifting for the royals’ star power, so her absence will be keenly felt, says Emily Andrews
THE NEWS THAT the Princess of Wales has undergone major surgery and was expected to stay in hospital for up to two weeks came as quite a shock. She’d last been seen in good spirits, smiling and greeting well-wishers on Christmas Day as she and the rest of the royal family attended church in Sandringham. Yet, just a week after her 42nd birthday, which she’d spent privately at home with her husband and children, Kate was admitted to a private London hospital for ‘planned abdominal surgery’. She is said to be ‘doing well’ in her recover y and, after a stay at The London Clinic in Mar ylebone for between 10 and 14 days, she will have a much longer period of recuperation at home in Windsor before she can resume public duties after Easter.
Kate was not rushed to hospital and royal sources insist that her admission was not due to a sudden emergency. They also confirmed that her condition was not cancer-related. Her diary is organised and planned at least four months in advance, so Kensing ton Palace emphasised that the princess wished to apologise for cancelling upcoming visits. However, as recently as a week ago, aides were discussing engagements and appeared to expect two forthcoming tours (one to Rome and one to support British troops abroad) to go ahead. So it’s understood that she has been ‘exceptional at putting on a brave face’ and did not want to ‘cause a fuss’ in advance of the surgery.
Prince William also cancelled all his engagements for the foreseeable future to support his wife and ensure the lives of their children – Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five – remain as ‘normal as possible’. He will not undertake any public duties while Kate is in hospital or during the immediate period following her return home.
This, plus the news that the King will undergo a ‘corrective procedure’ this week for an enlarged prostate and spend a night in hospital, means three of the four most senior royals are out of action. It leaves the slimmed-down monarchy badly stretched – with the loss of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Duke of York and the late Queen Elizabeth, there is only the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and Queen Camilla to hold the fort. Buckingham Palace stressed that Charles would be fully capable of doing his normal duties and indeed would be back at work after a short recuperation.
Yet any hopes that 2024 would be a period of stability for the fledgling Carolean era, after the death of our longest-ser ving monarch, the dra
