While Kate Middleton's official retouched photo hasn't put an end to speculation, here's what we know about the Princess of Wales' health since she underwent surgery in January in London.
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An abdominal operation
A statement released on January 17 by Kensington Palace announced that “The Princess of Wales was admitted to the London Clinic yesterday for scheduled abdominal surgery.”
The palace gives no further details, and relays the princess's "wish" "that her personal medical information remains private."
“The operation was successful and she is expected to stay in the hospital for 10 to 14 days,” he said.
Faced with questions, Kensington Palace, however, relayed the information to British royal correspondents that it was not cancer.
Also read: Richard Fitzwilliams: “Kate Middleton has made it known that she does not wish to share details regarding her operation”
A long convalescence
On January 29, the palace announced that Kate, 42, had left hospital and “returned to her home in Windsor”, west of London, without specifying when this discreet return took place.
The princess, who has not been seen in public since Christmas, is “making good progress”, indicates this second press release.
At the time of her hospitalization, the palace had specified that “based on current medical advice, it [was] unlikely that (the princess) would return to her public duties before Easter”, i.e. a convalescence of at least two months and half.
The princess, very popular, is then forced to give up all her commitments: canceled official visit with William to Italy, Baftas ceremony, annual Commonwealth celebration, Saint David's Day at the beginning of March or even Saint Patrick's Day at the end of March .
According to British media, Kate, however, left Windsor to spend a few days during the February school holidays with her husband and their children, George, Charlotte and Louis, in Sandringham in Norfolk (east of the country), where the couple has a residence .
An absence that questions
In the age of social networks, the silence on the reasons for her operation, this long absence, during which the princess remains invisible, generates an outbreak of speculation.
Even the tabloids, always very favorable to Kate, are wondering.
Also read: Hysterectomy, ulcer, anorexia... These hypotheses about Kate Middleton's surgery which are shaking up England
On February 8, during his first public engagement after the operation, Prince William limited himself to thanking the public for their support, at a time when his father, King Charles III, was also being treated for cancer.
Except that on February 27, William canceled his presence at the last minute at a ceremony in memory of his godfather, King Constantine of Greece, at Windsor Castle, for “personal reasons”.
Enough to give a second wind to speculation.
Faced with the new rumors, Kensington Palace assures that the princess “continues to do well” in a statement sent to the British media.
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Kate in the American tabloids
On March 4, a photo of Kate was published by American celebrity media.
We see her, sunglasses on her eyes, sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle driven by her mother.
The image was not picked up by the British newspapers, which nevertheless relayed the information extensively.
Imbroglio around “Trooping the Color”
On March 5, the British army website announced that William's wife would participate in the official ceremonies for King Charles III's birthday in early June.
Kensington Palace, which manages Kate and William's agenda, does not confirm, and royal sources indicate that the palace was not consulted in advance by the Ministry of Defense.
The mention of Kate's presence was removed from the website that evening.
Fake photo
On March 10, for British Mother's Day, Kensington released an official photo of Kate smiling surrounded by her three children, the first since her operation in mid-January.
But faced with numerous inconsistencies raised by Internet users, Kate finally admits that the photo was retouched, which reignites speculation.
Prince William makes no comments during two public appearances.
Kensington Palace on Monday ruled out rebroadcasting the original, unedited photo.