Where Is Kate Middleton? Kensington Palace Shares a Health Update

Kate Middleton has been out of sight ever since her abdominal surgery in January, but that doesn’t mean she’s been out of mind. In fact, her absence has sparked concern over her whereabouts, not to mention some pretty wild conspiracy theories.

Prince William’s sudden decision to pull out of a planned appearance on Tuesday only fanned the flames of the ongoing speculation about the princess. Earlier in the day, he had unexpectedly missed a memorial service for his godfather, King Constantine of Greece, who died last year. The palace didn’t elaborate on his decision to skip it, but said that his wife “continues to be doing well.”

It’s worth noting that even vague health updates like these are historically rare for the royal family, which explains why Middleton has chosen to keep her medical condition mostly under wraps.  

As many wonder about Kate’s condition, here’s a look at what we do know. 

Where is Kate Middleton?

Per the palace, the Princess of Wales has been recuperating at Adelaide Cottage at the royal family’s Windsor Castle estate following her discharge from the London Clinic. The palace hasn’t offered further information about what her exact procedure was, or any conditions that necessitated it, other than it being non-cancerous.

When was Kate Middleton last seen?

The 42-year-old hasn’t been seen publicly since her surgery on Jan. 16. In fact, her last major appearance was in December 2023, when she stepped out with other members of the royal family for their annual walk to attend a Christmas Day service at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene. Decked out in royal blue from head to toe, Kate was pictured smiling as she strolled next to Prince William along with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

The palace has made it clear that they don’t plan on giving regular updates on her recovery unless “there is significant new information to share.” Shortly after her operation, royal officials stated that she was “unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.” But that hasn’t stopped the chatter about Kate’s health scare, with some suggesting it’s more serious than they’ve let on. For instance, Spanish journalist Concha Calleja falsely claimed that Kate was in a coma due to complications from her operation and that her life was in “great danger.” Afterward, an unidentified palace source vehemently denied the claim in an interview with The Times. 

“It’s total nonsense,” they told the newspaper. “No attempt was made by that journalist to fact check anything that she said with anyone in the household. It’s fundamentally, totally made up, and I’ll use polite English here: it’s absolutely not the case.”

Of course, it was too late to prevent the rumors from spreading. Social media was already in a tizzy.

Has Prince William said anything about Kate’s whereabouts?

Prince William hasn’t offered any more details on his wife’s condition — or his sudden withdrawal from his godfather’s memorial. The palace just attributed it to a “personal matter” and it’s unclear whether it had to do with Kate’s recovery. 

While William had initially planned to cut back on his duties amid his wife’s recovery, the 41-year-old has taken on some engagements following his father’s cancer diagnosis in February. His last appearance was at the BAFTA Film Awards on Feb. 19, where he shared a rare candid moment with the audience. 

“I’ve had other things on my mind. It’s been a bit [hand motion] — a bit like that. But hopefully, I’ll catch up,” he said while admitting that he hadn’t seen many of the year’s nominated films.