Kate Middleton’s health history revealed, from her battle with extreme morning sickness to the four-inch scar that ran across her head
- Kate Middleton was admitted to hospital yesterday for the planned procedure
- The reason for the surgery has not been shared, but it is not thought to be cancer
The Princess of Wales will spend up to two weeks in hospital after a successful abdominal operation, it was announced today.
Kate Middleton, 42, was admitted to a London hospital yesterday for planned surgery and is expected to stay there for 10 to 14 days.
The future queen will return to Windsor to continue her recovery.
The reason for the procedure has not been shared, but it is believed not to cause cancer.
Here MailOnline describes her health history.
Kate Middleton, 42, was admitted to a London hospital yesterday for planned surgery and is expected to remain in hospital for 10 to 14 days. Pictured: Kate arriving for the Royal Christmas Carol Concert at Westminster Abbey on December 8 last year
Kensington Palace announced today that the Princess of Wales has undergone abdominal surgery
A two-inch scar on the head
Kate has a three-inch scar on the left side of her head, dating from childhood.
It was first noticed in 2011 when the Princess officiated her first solo royal engagement at a private black tie dinner at Clarence House.
It was confirmed that it was the result of a surgery performed when she was a young child.
An official statement explained that “the scar was related to a pediatric operation,” but that the details of the operation were a private matter.
Royal sources confirmed it had been ‘a very serious operation’ but declined to comment further.
However, surgeons said at the time that the scar is unlikely to be the result of a tumor and may have been caused by the removal of a mole.
Kate’s scar was first noticed when she attended a dinner at Clarence House in 2011
A statement explained that the scar, which was normally hidden, was from a childhood operation
Morning sickness
The princess was hospitalized for three days in 2012 due to severe morning sickness while pregnant with Prince George.
She was admitted to King Edward VII’s Hospital, a private hospital in Marylebone used by the royal family for more than a century.
Kate suffered a recurrence of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) while pregnant with Princess Charlotte in 2014 and Prince Louis in 2018.
This condition caused the princess to announce her later two pregnancies prematurely, before reaching the crucial twelve-week stage.
However, while she was transporting Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, she was cared for at Kensington Palace rather than hospital.
HG can lead to severe dehydration and puts both mother and baby at risk of being deprived of essential nutrients because they are unable to keep food and drink down.
Patients can vomit up to 30 times a day, with exhausting and dangerous consequences.
Kate revealed in 2020 that she used meditation and deep breathing to manage her symptoms.
Abdominal surgery
The princess had scheduled abdominal surgery and will spend up to two weeks in hospital, royal aides announced today.
Kate was admitted to the London Clinic in Marylebone yesterday for the planned procedure and is expected to remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days.
She will then return to Windsor to continue her recovery with the support of her family, Kensington Palace said.
It is believed not to be cancerous, but no other details about the surgery have been given.
The princess will probably be advised to recover for two to three months.
The NHS recommends deep breathing, circulation, core, chair and standing exercises to recover from abdominal surgery.
Kate’s return to official duties will depend on medical advice closer to the time, but she is not expected to return to public events until after Easter.
Police officers today stand outside the London Clinic where Kate is staying after the operation