Duchess Kate attends Christmas morning service at Sandringham Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, on December 25, 2023. (Samir Hussain/Wireimage)
- Kensington Palace released the first official photo of Princess Kate on social media on Sunday.
- This was nearly two months after her abdominal surgery, during which time she stayed out of the public eye.
- The 42-year-old princess, whose husband Prince William is heir to the British throne, has been mainly recuperating at her home in Windsor, west London, since being discharged from hospital on January 29.
Kensington Palace released the first official photo of Princess Kate on social media on Sunday, nearly two months after undergoing abdominal surgery, during which time she has been away from the public eye.
The 42-year-old princess, whose husband Prince William is heir to the British throne, has been mainly recuperating at her home in Windsor, west London, since being discharged from hospital on January 29.
In the photo, she is seen wearing jeans, a sweater and a dark jacket, sitting in a garden chair, smiling and surrounded by her three laughing children, George, Charlotte and Louis.
A distribution photo released by Kensington Palace on March 10, 2024 shows Britain's Duchess Kate and her children, Britain's Prince Louis of Wales, Britain's Prince George of Wales, and Britain's Charlotte of Wales. -The Princess of Wales is pictured in the photo, which was taken by the Prince of Wales in Windsor earlier this week. of Wales. (Prince of Wales/Kensington Palace/AFP)
“Thank you for your warm wishes and continued support over the past two months,” the message accompanying the photo reads. X.
The message read: “Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day” and was signed with a “C” for Duchess Kate.
The palace said in a statement that the photo was taken by Kate's husband, Prince William, “earlier this week in Windsor.”
The family photo is the first publicly released by the royal family since Kate was admitted to a London clinic on January 16th for abdominal surgery.
The future queen was last photographed in public during a Christmas Day walk in Sandringham, east England.
A photo published by TMZ in early March shows Kate wearing sunglasses while riding in a car, and the entertainment news site said the photo was taken near Windsor Castle on Monday. .
Read | Princess Kate makes first public appearance after surgery
British media outlets such as the Daily Mail and The Sun chose not to publish the photo.
The sighting comes after a flurry of conspiracy theories on social media surrounding the princess, who is known for being hard-working and obedient, taking a break from the spotlight.
The speculation comes despite Kensington Palace's statement at the time of the surgery that she was “unlikely to return to royal duties until after Easter”.
He also said the surgery was not related to cancer.
Duchess Kate's hospitalization comes around the same time as it was announced that Prince William's father, King Charles, had been hospitalized for surgery for a benign prostate condition and was later diagnosed with an unrelated cancer.
Charles, 75, visited his daughter-in-law's bedside on January 26th after she was admitted to the hospital herself.
The king took a break from official duties during his treatment, but attended church services and had weekly audiences with the prime minister.
Camila intervenes
Prince Charles' wife Queen Camilla, 76, is the most high-profile member of the royal family, assisting with many of her husband's official duties while he undergoes medical treatment.
She is currently on leave until March 11, when she is scheduled to attend the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey with Prince William and other senior royals.
She is reportedly on vacation this week, effectively meaning all four senior royals are out of action.
Read more | Queen Camilla takes time off from royal duties after filling in for King Charles
The princess is one of the most popular members of the royal family.
Since his younger brother Prince Harry and his wife Meghan moved to the United States in 2020, Prince William and Prince William have taken on more royal duties, and the king's younger brother Prince Andrew has been married to convicted sex offender Jeffrey. – He resigned due to his friendship with Epstein.
