In a press statement released via social media, Kensington Palace outlined the details of the Princess’ departure. The statement said: ‘The Princess of Wales has returned home to Windsor to continue her recovery from surgery. She is making good progress.’ It continued, ‘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.’
Kensington Palace confirmed that the Princess was receiving treatment on 17 January. The news of her surgery came on the same day that as the announcement that the King was due to receive treatment for an enlarged prostate. The King has also been recovering at The London Clinic; his Majesty currently remains in hospital, though his condition is expected to take less time to recover from than the Princess of Wales’s. The King has postponed his upcoming royal engagements and is understood to have met with the Princess during their overlapping stays. Queen Camilla was seen visiting the hospital over the weekend, though during the week she was pressing ahead with royal engagements, including a visit to Swindon.
The Princess of Wales made her last public appearance on Christmas Day on the Sandringham estate. She attended church service with Prince William and three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. In her absence, Prince William is said to have refocused his time around the children’s routines, seeking to maintain as much a semblance of normality as possible for them. He has been supported by the children’s grandparents, Carole and Michael Middleton, as well as by Pippa Matthews and James Middleton. After Princess Kate’s surgery, it seems unlikely that the Wales’ rumoured springtime trip to Rome will go ahead. Royal watchers are likely to see a concerted focus on family time and recovery in the Wales family – which means a significant scaling back of engagements.
