17 January 2024 , 16:40
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The Princess of Wales is currently being treated in hospital after undergoing abdominal surgery - and this isn't the first of her health complications.
Kate, 42, is to spend the next fortnight recovering at The London Clinic, a private hospital in central London, where she will receive topnotch care from a team of dedicated healthcare professionals from her luxurious en-suite room. The future Queen has apologised for the upcoming engagements she will now have to miss, and has been advised to recuperate at home in Windsor for the next few months, meaning she likely won't return to official duties until Easter.
The Palace refused to confirm what Kate was being treated for but later updated the condition was non-cancerous. An official statement read: "Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales was admitted to The London Clinic yesterday for planned abdominal surgery. The surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery.
She had the surgery at top private hospital The London Clinic (PA)"Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter. The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate. She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private.
"Kensington Palace will, therefore, only provide updates on Her Royal Highness' progress when there is significant new information to share. The Princess of Wales wishes to apologise to all those concerned for the fact that she has to postpone her upcoming engagements. She looks forward to reinstating as many as possible, as soon as possible."
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Aside from being in hospital to give birth, the future Queen has battled with a gruelling health condition whilst pregnant with her three children - Prince George, who was born in July 2013, Princess Charlotte, who was born in May 2015, and Prince Louis, who was born in April 2018.
Kate was admitted to hospital back in 2012 whilst pregnant with their firstborn George. Her husband Prince William rushed her to the King Edward VII Hospital one evening where she was then diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum – a severe type of morning sickness. She remained in the ward for several days whilst being monitored by doctors, which came after the royal couple made the "difficult decision" to go public with their news despite Kate being in only the very early stages of pregnancy.
It was believed she was only seven or eight weeks pregnant at the time of her hospital treatment for the nausea. The exhausted princess was said to be hooked up to an intravenous drip to give her extra fluids for the condition, which can cause severe dehydration for two months, putting the mother in particular at risk. Insiders said Kate was ordered to have lots of rest.
Prince William was seen leaving the King Edward VII Hospital after visiting his wife who was admitted suffering from acute morning sickness in 2012 (Getty Images)
The royal couple smiling the morning she left hospital after four days of treatment for acute morning sickness (THE DAILY MIRROR)It was reported that the now mum-of-three began to feel severely sick at her parents' house in Bucklebury, Berkshire, where she and William, both 30 at the time, had spent the weekend. Sources said she started vomiting and William immediately drove her to the hospital by car - while hastily informing Prince Charles, the Queen, Prince Philip and Prince Harry.
The condition affects only about 2 per cent of pregnant women and is treated with intravenous fluids and anti-sickness tablets. Consultant Daghni Rajasingam, spokeswoman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: "The diagnosis is given when women cannot keep food or fluid down because of severe vomiting.
"Those who are vomiting pretty much constantly and cannot keep any nutrients down need to be admitted to hospital." An official statement at the time read: "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby.
"The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry and members of both families are delighted with the news. The Duchess was admitted this afternoon to King Edward VII Hospital in Central London with Hyperemesis Gravidarum.
"As the pregnancy is in its very early stages, Her Royal Highness is expected to stay in hospital for several days and will require a period of rest thereafter." Kate sadly had the same experience whilst pregnant with Charlotte and Louis, and was forced to cancel her royal trips, including her first solo royal tour in Malta in 2014 because of the debilitating condition.
She opened up about the ordeal when speaking on Giovanna Fletcher's Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast in February 2020. "[It was] utterly rotten. I was really sick," she revealed. "I wasn't eating the things I should be eating and yet the body was still able to take all the goodness from my body and to grow new life, which I think is fascinating."
The Princess also spoke of the effect the sickness had on her husband, saying: "William didn't feel he could do much to help and it's hard to see you're suffering without actually being able to do anything about it." Due to her difficult pregnancies, Kate admitted to Giovanna that she actually preferred being in labour.
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"Because it had been so bad during pregnancy, I actually really quite liked labour… Because actually it was an event that I knew there was going to be an ending to! But I know some people have really, really difficult times, so it's not for everybody. No pregnancy is the same, no birth is the same."