24 January 2024 , 07:00
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After his wife the Princess of Wales was admitted to hospital for abdominal surgery, Prince William had a firm plan.
The Prince of Wales cleared his diary of official visits and meetings and temporarily stepped back from his royal role in order to care for his wife, while at the same time be there for their three children. The 42-year-old princess, whose stay in the private hospital has entered its ninth day, is expected to remain there for between 10 and 14 days in total - and William seen leaving the London Clinic where Kate is recuperating after visiting her bedside.
The Prince and Princess of Wales in Abergavenny (WireImage)The couple clearly have a strong bond and often delight fans when out and about on engagements together - and at one important outing several years ago, William melted hearts with a sweet comment about his wife. It came as the royal couple travelled to Wales and stopped to chat to well-wishers who had gathered outside at a market in Abergavenny. Many of the fans had braved the cold weather to catch a glimpse of the pair.
But despite the freezing weather William made a rare personal - yet very sweet - comment about his wife of more than 12 years. After shaking hands with one fan, he pointed towards his wife and said: "She has the coldest hands ever." And he followed up with: "But they say 'cold hands, warm heart'."
Kate is not expected to return to official duties until after Easter following her surgery, meaning walkabouts such as these will have to wait for the Princess of Wales. A royal source told The Sunday Times the Waleses have switched to "100 percent family first, day job second".
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Aides insist the princess will be out of sight over the next few months but is likely to be working behind the scenes. "Her passion for the early years is clear – there will be a huge continuation of that campaign and she will be keen to be out continuing that conversation with the nation as soon as possible," the source told the newspaper.
Kensington Palace has not revealed further details of the princess’s condition, but confirmed it was non-cancerous. A spokesman said: “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 announced news of the princess’s surgery last Wednesday, with Buckingham Palace sparking a double royal health scare just 90 minutes later by revealing the King was preparing for treatment for an enlarged prostate. The King has also cancelled engagements ready for his corrective procedure in hospital this week.