Inside Kate Middleton's health battle including biggest worries after surgery
Strong, athletic, dutiful, and always impeccable, the Princess of Wales is an impressive woman.
But, unfortunately, this force of nature is as vulnerable as anyone else in the face of a medical crisis. At 42, she is at the peak of her powers, busy with her royal duties and caring for her three children – while coping with her fractious in-laws.
A keen sportswoman, we have seen her play tennis and hockey, row on the Thames, run round athletics tracks and even abseil down cliffs. When it comes to sporty photo opportunities, she rarely fails to put William in his place. But the stresses and strains of a busy life can take a toll.
Details of her medical condition will not be fully known until she discusses it herself. But people reading news of her scheduled abdominal surgery, followed by 10 to 14 days in hospital and two months off engagements, will realise this is no simple “women’s problem”.
Our future Queen has had major surgery. Hopefully, Kate will one day be open to talking about this experience to bring comfort to others going through a similar ordeal. For as she has shown with the issue of mental health, and so many other causes she is involved with, there is never any need for shame or embarrassment.
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Kate is used to keeping fit and enjoys exercise (Getty Images)
Kate during her visit to Maidenhead Rugby Club (Getty Images)The late Princess Diana would surely be impressed with the way Kate handles herself. And while Kate’s normally good health will no doubt be a huge help to see her through this, it’s going to be a difficult few months ahead.
The statement from Kensington Palace says it all. Her priority, as ever, is her children – Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five. The statement said: “She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible.” It’s a sentiment any mother would appreciate.
It’s difficult for any child to see a parent in a hospital bed, however much grander Kate’s private room – with concierge – in The London Clinic in Marylebone might be compared to your average NHS hospital ward. Add to that the fact that this is the same hospital where the children’s great-grandpa Prince Philip was treated in his final months and you can imagine how daunting it might be for the youngsters to visit their mum.
Children are normally banned, with the hospital’s website declaring: “Any special requests for children to visit must be approved by the Matrons.” As well as being away from her children, Kate will feel the pressure of thinking she is letting the public down.
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The Palace statement also shares Kate’s apology for having to reschedule upcoming engagements, saying: “She looks forward to reinstating as many as possible, as soon as possible.” The surgery may have been planned, but not, it seems, planned far enough in advance so as not to affect her current workload. This will be the most time Kate has had away from the public eye since the months during her difficult pregnancies.
Perhaps Kate’s other biggest worry will be losing her fitness. She has previously admitted she thrives on keeping fit and busy. After becoming patron of the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League, she told the England team: “Whenever I can squeeze in exercise, I do, even jumping on the trampoline with my children before school.”
She plays tennis daily while at their home, Amner Hall, at Sandringham, Norfolk, and has even played with Emma Radacanu. She is a regular at Princess Diana’s old gym, the £325-a-month Harbour Club in Chelsea, and the one at Kensington Palace.
Kate Middleton has had major abdominal surgery (Getty Images)She is said to enjoy HIIT fitness classes, plus running, family walks, skiing and, as she told Mike Tindall ’s rugby podcast just a few months ago, cold water swimming. She said: “The colder, the better. I absolutely love it. Slightly to the point where William’s like, ‘Catherine, you’re crazy’. And it’s dark, and it’s raining.”
Kate, who likes sushi and – so she claims – cake, has said of her fitness regime: “It’s running around after the children.” So how will she cope with being bedbound and a long recuperation? It will bring back memories of suffering hyperemesis gravidarum in all three pregnancies. The condition affects up to 2% of pregnancies and can cause severe and prolonged vomiting, dehydration, anxiety, extreme fatigue and weight loss.
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Kate described it as “rotten” and told how she struggled to eat. She also said her inability to enjoy normal life and activities was “a challenge”. Recovering from her abdominal surgery, Kate will have the support of her doting husband – with help from royal household staff and the best medical care available, of course.
William, 41, struggled when she was ill during her pregnancies. In 2020, she told Giovanna Fletcher ’s Happy Baby, Happy Mum podcast: “You know, William didn’t feel he could do much to help and it’s hard for everyone to see you suffering without actually being able to do anything about it.”
Like any dad, he will need to be there more than ever to support the children and his wife. It won’t be easy as he will also be worried about his father King Charles, who yesterday revealed that he was due to have a planned operation on an enlarged, but benign, prostate.
And, of course, there is the ongoing stress between William and his family across the Pond. But, hopefully, come April we will be seeing Kate back to her best – no doubt causing her outfit-du-jour to sell out... And racing – probably literally – to get back to her royal duties.
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