Royal Family Gets Good News After Hospitalization Scare

The Princess of Wales Kate Middleton was seen out in public for the first time since undergoing abdominal surgery in January, assuaging concerns over her health.

TMZ obtained photos of Middleton traveling in a car with her mother, Carole Middleton, near Windsor Castle over the weekend. The pictures were not published in the U.K., as Kensington Palace appealed for her to be able to recuperate in private.

It is the first time Middleton has been seen since she participated in Christmas celebrations with the Royal Family late last year.

Kate Middleton seen for the first time in months riding in the passenger seat of a car being driven by her mother. pic.twitter.com/j0GVr3YUbj

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) March 4, 2024

On January 17, Kensington Palace announced that Middleton had been admitted to a London hospital for a “planned abdominal surgery.”

The notice later added that the procedure had been successful, further stressing that Middleton would need at least two weeks to recover in the hospital followed by an extended recovery process at her Windsor home. In addition, the notice revealed that the princess would likely not return to her routine until after Easter.

A spokesman later announced that it was Middleton’s wish to keep her medical information private, adding that an update would only be provided if there was “significant new information to share.”

Despite the press releases, speculation over Middleton’s health and whereabouts had become a major topic of discussion in recent weeks. The hashtag “WhereIsKateMiddleton” had been trending daily on X while a number of media outlets, such as the New York Times, had questioned whether there was more to the story.

While the palace has not commented on the photos, it did confirm that paparazzi obtained images they were not going to release. The statement added that the palace has no intention of providing running updates on Middleton’s health.

Kate left the hospital on January 29 and returned to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor to be with her children and continue the recovery process.