Kate Middleton. a week of deafening silence

A week later, they are still hoping for a release in the fog. Since Tuesday, January 16, Britons have been waiting for news about their Princess of Wales, who was hospitalized at a London clinic for “abdominal surgery.” The only information they have is contained in a press release released on Wednesday, January 17th. “The surgery went well and she is expected to stay in hospital for ten to fourteen days,” Kensington Palace said of Kate Middleton.

The text further reveals that Prince William’s wife is not expected to resume her royal engagement “before Easter on March 31”. That’s more than two months of downtime. Kate Middleton, much loved by the British public, “wishes to apologize (…) for postponing her next engagement”. “He hopes to be able to resume it as soon as possible, as much as possible,” the document reads. A message whose conclusion is clear. Kensington Palace will only provide an “update” on the princess’ health “when there is important new information to share”.

A whirlwind of emotions

Since then, Britons have been caught in a whirlwind of emotions. The hope of another announcement and the fear of terrible news are mixed in their hearts. Their insatiable curiosity collides with fear to learn that their princess is suffering from a much more serious illness than meets the eye. True to its promise, Kensington Palace, for its part, remains shrouded in silence. To distinguish fact from fiction, the English turn to the tabloids, which usually master the art of explosive revelations. But here is the problem again. The tabloid press seems to have nothing to sink its teeth into.

The media just found out that Kate Middleton is not suffering from cancer. Which doesn’t stop them from being a bit alarmist. Kate Middleton’s condition is “serious enough to keep her in hospital for up to two weeks, and her recovery is expected to last two to three months,” writes the BBC. “It is clear how long Catherine is expected to stay in the hospital and the statement released by the palace that her health condition is serious,” the media outlet added.

Buckingham transparency

Suddenly the British felt a chill run down their spine. What if their beloved princess was in real danger? After all, didn’t the Royal Palace remain silent about the real state of health of Elizabeth II on the eve of her death in September 2022? This silence surrounding Kate Middleton’s surgery seems all the more puzzling because Buckingham Palace has been transparent about King Charles III’s hospitalization. The latter actually has to be operated on this week due to benign hypertrophy of the prostate gland. An announcement welcomed by associations as it raises awareness of the disease among the general public.

The ghost of Lady Diana

The mystery surrounding Kate Middleton’s health remains more than ever. Behind the English upheaval looms the specter of another Princess of Wales. Lady Diana, who died at the age of 37, leaving behind two young children. In the summer of 1997, the United Kingdom suddenly lost the princess of its hearts, and the whole world mourned with her.

And the trauma inevitably resurfaces in light of the Kensington press release or the surprise announcement of the hospitalization of a young woman in theoretically good health. So the British are content to watch Prince William’s possible visit to his bedside, as he paid him in a sedan on Thursday January 18. Or consult the British papers, which speculate how Kate Middleton communicates with her children (via FaceTime, says royal correspondent Emily Nash) and make small revelations (the princess will work from under her bed after returning home, supports; that Times) The British, for their part, are not completely reassured.