An announcement last week that Kate Middleton had been hospitalized for a “planned abdominal surgery” came as a surprise even to people who work closely with the British royal family, according to People. The outlet reports that family friends of the Princess of Wales and her husband, Prince William, were also caught off guard by the bombshell news of her treatment, which had been kept “carefully guarded” before being revealed to the public. In a statement, Kensington Palace said the princess was expected to spend up to 14 days in the hospital and would be postponing a series of planned engagements during her recovery. The palace later confirmed that her condition is “non-cancerous.” Buckingham Palace separately announced that King Charles would also be hospitalized this week to receive treatment for an enlarged prostate.
