Was Kate Middleton In A Coma? The Palace Gave A Rare Response To The Rumor

Sophie Hanson
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Ever since she was hospitalized for an undisclosed abdominal surgery, rumors that Kate Middleton was in a coma began circulating after a report from a Spanish news broadcast. The Princess of Wales underwent a procedure on January 16, 2024, and recovered at the London Clinic for 13 days before being discharged to mend at home.

The news of her medical woes came just a week after her 42nd birthday. For her birthday, it was reported that the Prince and Princess of Wales celebrated a more personal and “low-key” celebration which is just “the way she likes it,” A source told The Daily Express that “the children are just about to start back at school,” so it’s likely that Kate and her family will have a quiet celebration at home in Windsor.

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Royal expert Jennie Bond told the outlet that Prince William is planning to “spoil” his wife after what has “been a really tough time for her,” seemingly referring to the string of controversies surrounding the royal family following the release of Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare , in 2023. “He’s probably got a little bit of romance in him somewhere,” Bond shared, speculating that William might arrange for breakfast in bed for his wife.

On January 29, 2024, Kensington Palace released a statement saying Kate was “making good progress” and continuing her recovery at home after a 13-day hospital stay. “The Wales family continues to be grateful for the well-wishes they have received from around the world,” the statement read, in addition to being thankful for the “diligent nursing staff” at the London Clinic.

But a rumor did the rounds on social media saying that Kate’s surgery may have had serious, unforeseen implications, leading to the phrase “Kate Middleton coma” to begin trending. And the Palace has given a rare response.

Was Kate Middleton in a coma?

Journalist Concha Calleja claimed that the Princess of Wales had undergone a hysterectomy—removal of the uterus—and that “they had to intubate her” in an induced coma when she “suffered serious complications during the post-operative period.” Calleja continued:

“They were serious complications that were not expected,” she said. “What I cannot confirm is if this continues like this, if they have waited for that fifteen-day process. Her life has been in great danger. In fact, the concern in the Royal Family was palpable, it was to save lives.”

In a rare occurrence, the Palace responded to the rumor, not in an official statement but via a source. “It’s total nonsense,” a palace insider told The Times. “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.”

What kind of abdominal surgery did Kate Middleton have?

What kind of abdominal surgery did Kate Middleton have? There could be several reasons for the Princess of Wales’ surgery and while we don’t know specifics, the Palace did say it was non-cancerous. According to Mount Sinai, abdominal surgery can include a procedure on the following organs:

  • Appendix

  • Bladder

  • Gallbladder

  • Intestines

  • Kidney and ureters

  • Liver

  • Pancreas

  • Spleen

  • Stomach

  • Uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries

Kensington Palace announced that Kate Middleton had a “planned abdominal surgery” at The London Clinic on January 16, 2024. “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,” the statement said. “Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.”

“The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate. She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private,” the statement continued. “Kensington Palace will, therefore, only provide updates on Her Royal Highness’ progress when there is significant new information to share.”

“The Princess of Wales wishes to apologize to all those concerned for the fact that she has to postpone her upcoming engagements. She looks forward to reinstating as many as possible, as soon as possible,” they added.

The public responds to Kate Middleton’s surgery

Many Royal fans took to the comments on Instagram to express their concern and wish a speedy recovery to the Princess of Wales. One top comment read, “That’s very concerning. That’s a looong hospital stay and longer recovery. As a surgical nurse, I know this must’ve been a very serious medical procedure. Hoping for a full recovery for this young mom. ❤️” Another read, “Gosh…this writing format gave me a heart attack for a second. Wishing the Princess a quick recovery.”

On January 18, Prince William visited his wife as she recovered, palace officials told Today.com. On January 24, 2024, Page Six revealed that her procedure “came as a surprise” to family friends as well as people who “work closely” with the royals, according to sources. Rest assured, Kate is “doing well” according to insiders quoted by People.

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Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, is out now. Told for the first time in his own words, the book takes readers through the Duke of Sussex’s life with the British royal family, from the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997 to how the moment led to his decision decades later to move to America with his wife, Meghan Markle, and leave Buckingham Palace for good in 2020. “With its raw, unflinching honesty, Spare is a landmark publication full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief,” the publisher’s description reads.

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