Prince William is still carrying out his royal duties despite mounting rumors about Princess Kate Middleton’s well-being.
William, 41, was seen looking carefree and relaxed on Thursday, March 14, as he played games with kids at WEST Youth Zone, a new charity facility in Hammersmith, London. Video footage of William shooting hoops and chatting with the young members of WEST was shared via the official Kensington Royal X account, alongside the caption, “What a brilliant place @OnSideYZ ‘s WEST is!”
The Prince of Wales was given a tour of the facilities by Kevin McGrath, deputy lieutenant for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Along the way, he decorated biscuits and chatted with the children and teens in attendance.
William’s outing marks one of few public appearances for the royal as speculation continues to swirl about Kate, 42, and her whereabouts. In mid-January, Kensington Palace announced in a statement that the Princess of Wales was undergoing a planned abdominal procedure and wouldn’t attend events until after Easter. Little else was revealed about the surgery.
The mystery around Kate’s condition ramped up after a family photo was released on Sunday, March 10, in honor of Mother’s Day. Social media sleuths pointed out signs of Photoshop, and several news agencies killed use of the image, claiming it had been “manipulated” by the source. No replacement was sent out following the pull.
In turn, Kate released a statement the following day, explaining, “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused.”
Despite the rumors, a source exclusively revealed in the new issue of Us Weekly that Kate is “doing well,” though the public should not expect updates anytime soon.
“Whatever the reason for the operation was, it’s of a personal nature, and Kate wants to keep the details as private as possible,” the source told Us. “Perhaps when she’s feeling up to it, she may reveal more, but she’s not making any promises.”
The insider added that Kate has had a few visitors — including King Charles III and Queen Camilla — but is otherwise maintaining a “shroud of secrecy” when it comes to her current condition, which has caused some concern and confusion.
“A few of Kate’s senior staffers haven’t been able to see or speak to her, and they didn’t even know about the surgery until it was announced, so it’s caught them off guard,” the royal source noted. “Only a few people know what’s really going on, and they’re tight-lipped.”
William, meanwhile, has insisted that rumors about his wife are not on his radar. “His focus is on work and not on social media,” a rep for the prince told People earlier this month.
