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The Princess of Wales has become the subject of increased press and social media attention in the past week, having passed the two-month point since her last public appearance.
It was announced in January that Kate had undergone "planned abdominal surgery" in London and was expected to be absent from royal duties until after Easter, which this year falls on March 31.
Kensington Palace has provided limited details about the royal's health since then, though no photographs of the princess have been released.
Social media users and commentators have raised concerns about Kate and her health since the announcement of the surgery, the cause of which has not yet been given. In connection with this, a number of speculative reports, posts and conspiracy theories have circulated.
Here, Newsweek looks at Kate's surgery and recovery timeline so far.
Last Public Appearance
The last time the Princess of Wales made an appearance in public was on Christmas Day 2023, when she attended church on the Sandringham estate accompanied by Prince William, their three children (Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis) and other senior royals.
Kate was photographed chatting to members of the public after the service, wearing a striking electric blue coat and stylish feathered hat.
After the brief traditional walkabout, the princess was photographed walking back to Sandringham's main house to take part in the family's festive activities.
London Surgery
More than two weeks into January (typically a busy time for the working royals) Kate and Prince William still hadn't made their first official public appearance of 2024, sparking speculation as to their whereabouts.
On January 17, Kensington Palace issued an official statement, saying that the princess had been admitted to The London Clinic a day earlier to undergo "planned abdominal surgery."
"The surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery," they said. "Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter."
They added that though Kate "appreciates the interest this statement will generate," she hoped that the public would "understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private."
The palace closed by saying that no further updates would be given unless they had significant news to share regarding the princess' recovery, and that she wishes to apologize for canceled plans and engagements.
Windsor Recuperation
After two weeks in hospital under observation, Kensington Palace announced that Kate had been discharged on January 29.
"The Princess of Wales has returned home to Windsor to continue her recovery from surgery. She is making good progress," they said.
"The Prince and Princess wish to say a huge thank you to the entire team at The London Clinic, especially the dedicated nursing staff, for the care they have provided. The Wales family continues to be grateful for the well wishes they have received from around the world."
William and Kate's Windsor home sits in the shadow of Windsor Castle, an official royal residence of the monarch, secluded in the middle of a swathe of private parkland.
The couple moved into Adelaide Cottage in 2022, a property initially built as a folly and tea house for Queen Adelaide, the consort of Queen Victoria's uncle, King William IV.
The property was enlarged and altered over the years into a comfortable family home. Since moving in, the cottage has become the main family hub for the Wales' being situated close to George, Charlotte and Louis' school, Lambrook.
Sandringham School Break
On February 10 it was reported by Britain's Daily Mail that Kate had traveled with her family to their home in Norfolk, England, on King Charles III's Sandringham estate.
William and Kate were given the property, named Anmer Hall, as a wedding present from Queen Elizabeth II. After extensive refurbishment the couple moved in in 2015 and spend much of their children's school vacations at the home. It is also where they spent the majority of the COVID lockdowns in 2020 and 2021.
At the time, Kensington Palace did not respond to the Daily Mail's report and have not provided any information about the princess' movements since her return from the hospital.
Since the Wales children returned to school it is believed the family is once again residing at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor.
Doing 'Well'
Since the initial announcement that Kate had left hospital for Windsor, Kensington Palace has released little information on her recovery and progress.
When contacted on Thursday, a spokesperson for Kensington Palace told Newsweek that the princess continues to be doing well, clarifying their position that: "As we have been clear since our initial statement in January, we shall not be providing a running commentary or providing daily updates."
In light of no further information, it is expected that the palace's initial estimate that Kate will not return to public life until "after Easter" is still accurate.
Newsweek approached Kensington Palace via email for comment.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more