10 March 2024 , 20:40
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The Princess of Wales delivered a Mother’s Day treat with a picture showing her happy and relaxed that will come as a relief to royal fans worried about her health.
In Kate’s first official photo since her abdominal operation in January, she thanked well-wishers who have rallied round her as she recovered at home. The beaming 42-year-old is shown with chuckling George, 10, Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Louis.
It is hoped the snap will finally put an end to the cruel conspiracies theories about the Princess’s health and absence churned out by online cranks, which Kensington Palace branded as the “madness of social media”.
Kate wrote: “Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day. C.”
The photo was taken in Windsor last week by her husband Prince William, 41, and released yesterday. Former Palace press secretary Dickie Arbiter called it a “delightful Mother’s Day picture”. He added: “It should kick and banish all those nasty conspiracy theorists into the long grass.”
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Royal author Ingrid Seward said: “What a joy it is to see the Princess of Wales with her beautiful children to celebrate such a special day. The Princess looks completely radiant and so many people will be relieved to see her. Millions around the world have been wishing her a speedy recovery after her surgery and we will all be looking forward to seeing her back to duties when she is ready and able.”
The Wales family at Christmas during Kate's last public appearance (PA)Kate’s last official engagement was on Christmas Day when she walked with other royals to church at Norfolk’s Sandringham estate. She posed for the Mother’s Day snap wearing £250 Chloe Combat boots, jeans, a black polo neck and bottle green jacket.
George and Charlotte wore jumpers from French brand Cyrillus while George wore a khaki lambswool top and jeans. Kate went without jewellery in the photo, in an unusual move. She usually wears her wedding ring and engagement ring – a 12-carat Ceylon sapphire surrounded by a cluster of 14 solitaire diamonds set in white gold which belonged to Princess Diana.
The Princess had her operation at The London Clinic in Marylebone. She was discharged on January 29 and was said to be continuing her recovery at home in Windsor’s Adelaide Cottage with her family. She was pictured in the passenger seat of a car driven nearby by mum Carole Middleton last week.
Her long-awaited return to public duties was thrown into chaos when the Army said announced she would be at a Trooping the Colour rehearsal in June, but then did a U-turn and removed all references to her from the event’s promotion.
The Palace has always said Kate will be out of action until April and has yet to earmark any date for her official comeback.
Buckingham Palace yesterday also shared a photo of the King with his late mum the Queen Elizabeth to mark Mother’s Day. Charles is seen kissing her hand after a polo match in 1985.
Now recover in peace
by Russell Myers
Beaming with pride and intertwined with her three children, the Princess of Wales poses in a picture perfect for Mothering Sunday.
Seeing Kate looking so well will be welcome to who have sent their own personal wishes, or wondered how our future queen was getting on after her surgery. For one of the popular royals, and one of the world’s most photographed and recognisable faces, it has been a prolonged time on the sidelines.
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Having not taken part in any royal duties since Christmas Day and only being seen for the first time last week in a set of grainy paparazzi pictures, this delightful image taken by the Prince of Wales should be enough to silence the social media trolls who filled their sad little lives with conspiracy theories as to the Princess’s whereabouts.
From its announcement on January 16 that Kate was admitted to hospital for a planned operation, Kensington Palace could not have been clearer: the Princess would stay at The London Clinic for up to two weeks and recover at home until after Easter.
Yet the Palace has been forced to reiterate statements that she was recovering well, and even hit out at the “madness of social media”. After this sweet image, hopefully she will be able to continue her recovery in peace.
A relief she’s back
by Polly Hudson
Let's be honest – this image of Kate is bittersweet. It’s a relief to see her, and looking so normal, happy, and well…
But how incredibly infuriating social media trolls have made her past few weeks so stressful. Hopefully this ends to their speculation – from the worrying (she’s seriously ill) to the ridiculous (she’s had a Brazilian butt lift).
Typical Kate that she manages to silence all the rumours, and reassure anxious well-wishers, with such good grace, classily, and with what would seem to be a genuine smile on her face.
Most people, me included, wouldn’t be able to get out of bed – or off the sofa at least – after a major operation, never mind say cheese for the camera.