First official image of Princess Kate after surgery
– Kensington Palace yesterday released the first official photo of Princess Kate on social media – nearly two months after her abdominal surgery during which she has stayed out of the public eye.
The 42-year-old Princess of Wales, whose husband Prince William is heir to the British throne, has been recovering mainly at their home in Windsor, west of London, since leaving hospital on 29 January.
The photo shows Kate sitting on a garden chair, dressed in jeans, a sweater and a dark jacket, smiling, surrounded by her three laughing children, George, Charlotte and Louis.
“Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months,” read a message accompanying the photo on X, signed “C” for Catherine.
“Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day.”
The palace clarified in a statement that the photo was taken “in Windsor earlier this week” by William.
The family photograph is the first official image of Kate released by the royal family since her hospitalisation at the London Clinic on 16 January for an abdominal surgery.
The future queen was last pictured in public during a Christmas Day walk in Sandringham, eastern England.
Photos published by TMZ earlier in March showed Kate wearing sunglasses while being driven in a car, with the celebrity news site saying they were taken on Monday near Windsor Castle.
UK media outlets, including the Daily Mail and The Sun have chosen not to publish the photos.
The sighting came after a flurry of conspiracy theories on social media over the absence from the spotlight of the famously hard-working and dutiful princess.
The speculation came despite Kensington Palace clearly saying at the time of her surgery that she would be “unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter”.
It also said the surgery was not related to cancer.
Kate’s hospitalisation came almost simultaneously with the announcement that William’s father, King Charles, had been admitted for surgery for a benign prostate condition and subsequently diagnosed with an unrelated cancer.
The 75-year-old king visited his daughter-in-law’s bedside after being admitted himself on 26 January.
Charles withdrew from public duties during his treatment although he attended church services and held his weekly audience with the prime minister.
Charles’ 76-year-old wife Queen Camilla has been the most visible senior royal, stepping in to cover many of her husband’s public duties during his treatment.
Camilla was on a break until today when she is expected to join William and other senior royals at the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey.
She took a week-long holiday from March 4, which effectively meant that all four of the most senior royals were out of action.
Catherine is one of the most popular members of the royal family.
She and William have taken on more royal duties since his younger brother Prince Harry and his American wife Meghan left for the United States in 2020, and the king’s brother Prince Andrew stepped back because of his friendship with the convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein. –