Prince William is keeping his priorities straight amid speculation about his wife Princess Kate Middleton’s whereabouts since her January abdominal surgery.
“His focus is on work and not on social media,” a rep for the Prince of Wales, 41, told People in a story published on Wednesday, March 6.
William’s statement comes one week after a spokesperson for Kate, 42, attempted to downplay the chatter in a statement to Us Weekly. “Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess’ recovery and we’d only be providing significant updates,” they shared on February 29. “That guidance stands.”
The palace had announced in January that Kate would not be participating in royal engagements until the spring. “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,” the palace wrote in a statement via X. “Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.”
The palace explained that her procedure was a planned one and that 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.” (The couple, who wed in 2011, share kids Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.)
At the time, the palace also clarified that they would only share updates on Kate’s condition “when there is significant new information to share.”
William took a break from royal duties to aid his wife’s recovery before returning to work last month. He has subtly addressed Kate’s health during a number of appearances, including when he apologized for her absence at the 2024 British Academy Film Awards.
“I’m sorry Catherine’s not here. She does love the BAFTAs,” the Prince of Wales said at the February 18 awards show.
Earlier this month, William thanked students for presenting him with gifts for Kate during a visit to a Welsh elementary school. Later that day, he did not respond when asked about Kate’s condition while arriving for an appearance at Wrexham AFC Stadium on March 1.
Kate was spotted for the first time since her surgery on Monday, March 4. In photos obtained by TMZ, she was wearing sunglasses while riding in a car with her mother, Carole Middleton. She had not been seen publicly since December 2023.
News about Kate’s surgery coincided with the announcement that King Charles III would undergo a procedure for an enlarged prostate. Unlike Kate, Charles, 75, has shared details regarding his health with the public, revealing in February that he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer.
“Simply because one patient is comfortable discussing their health in a certain way does not mean both patients should be,” royal expert Gareth Russell exclusively told Us last month about Kate and Charles’ different approaches. “Just stepping back from the royal aspect of things for a moment, patient privacy is still a really important and a fundamental right.”
He continued: “Sometimes when you are a patient, even if you have the ability to raise awareness, you are still maybe processing some of this yourself. Maybe you want to take it at your own timetable.”
