Kate Middleton is finally home after a 13-day stay in a London hospital following what the royal family called “planned” abdominal surgery.
“The Princess of Wales has returned home to Windsor to continue her recovery from surgery. She is making good progress,” a Kensington Palace spokesman said in a statement. “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 statement added that the “Wales family continues to be grateful for the well wishes they have received from around the world.”
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Princess Kate’s discharge from the hospital is roughly in line with expectations set by a bombshell update from the palace on Jan. 17 announcing that she had undergone surgery the day before. That announcement—which reportedly came as a surprise even to people who work closely with the British royal family—said she would remain in the hospital for up to two weeks.
The full details of the procedure and the medical complaint that it addressed have not yet been disclosed, though the palace clarified that Kate’s condition is “non-cancerous.” Sources cited in the U.K. press soon after the operation said she was “doing well.”
Kate’s husband, Prince William, was pictured arriving at the hospital on Jan. 18. The princess was also visited by King Charles III before he underwent surgery at the same hospital for an enlarged prostate on Friday, according to the BBC.
Charles was also discharged from the facility on Monday afternoon, Buckingham Palace said in a statement. The king “has rescheduled forthcoming public engagements to allow for a period of private recuperation,” the statement added.
A royal insider told The Sun newspaper that doctors’ decision to keep Charles in hospital for a third night had “caused some unease.” “It is understood that Charles would only stay in hospital for longer than two nights if there was some kind of unexpected issue,” the source added.
They also claimed that Charles would likely “avoid public jobs for at least a month on medical advice.” His wife, Queen Camilla, said over the weekend that he was doing “fine,” but had privately encouraged him to “slow down.” A former courtier told The Daily Beast of the “subdued” mood at Buckingham Palace caused by the monarch’s medical issue, adding that it’s served as an “unwelcome reminder” of Charles’ age.
