Princess Kate Middleton has found herself at the center of another controversy after The London Clinic experienced a security breach pegged to her medical records.
The London Clinic recently launched an investigation into its staffers after members of the hospital reportedly tried to access Kate’s private records following her January abdominal procedure, The Daily Mail reported on Tuesday, March 19.
The investigation came to light after one staff member attempted to access Kate’s notes on file without permission, per the outlet.
“Senior hospital bosses contacted Kensington Palace immediately after the incident was brought to their attention and assured the palace there would be a full investigation,” a source told the outlet.
The hospital staff is said to be “utterly shocked and distraught over the allegations and were very hurt that a trusted colleague could have allegedly been responsible for such a breach of trust and ethics,” per the insider.
Kensington Palace issued a statement on Tuesday, noting that the princess is aware of the breach. “This is a matter for the London Clinic,” the palace told the Daily Mail.
Us Weekly reached out to The London Clinic, which said it “cannot comment” on the incident.
Kate, 42, raised eyebrows in January when Kensington Palace revealed she underwent a “planned abdominal surgery” that would keep her out of the public eye until after Easter on Sunday, March 31.
While the royals assured fans that the surgery was “successful,” they didn’t give any more details. The lack of transparency has since become an issue as many have been left wondering what is really going on with the princess.
Earlier this month, the royal family came under fire after it released a photoshopped picture of Kate and her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, on U.K.’s Mother’s Day.
“Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing,” Kate wrote in a statement on March 11 via X, trying to explain the mishap. “I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day.”
Kate has been spotted on a few occasions throughout March, but none of the sightings seemed to have eased concerns over her well-being. Even some of Kate’s staffers “haven’t been able to see or speak to her,” a source exclusively told Us on March 13.
“They didn’t even know about the surgery until it was announced, so it’s caught them off guard,” the insider claimed. “Only a few people know what’s really going on, and they’re tight-lipped.”
While Kate understands the curiosity surrounding her recent hospital stay, a second insider told Us, she feels she’s “entitled to heal and recuperate without all of this frenzied speculation.”
A source close to the princess told Us on Sunday, March 17, that when Kate “goes back to work after Easter, she will likely be ready to talk about” her procedure and recovery.
The insider explained that Kate is expected to speak out “when she’s doing a royal walkabout and meeting and greeting members of the public.”
The following day, Kate made headlines again when The Sunday Times reported that she will reportedly not be back to work immediately after Easter.
The outlet claimed on Monday, March 18, that Kate will now resume her duties once her and Prince William’s kids are back in school after the Easter holiday on April 17. (Us has reached out for comment.)
