Why King Charles And Kate Middleton Will Be Hospitalized At The Same Time

Kate Middleton and King Charles III will soon be at the hospital at the same time for very different reasons.

According to an official notice from Kensington Palace, the Princess of Wales has stepped back from her public duties until Easter to recover from "a planned abdominal surgery." Although the Palace shared little about Middleton's medical status, multiple outlets have reported that the surgery was a success and not due to cancer. But she still has a two-week recovery ahead of her. According to TMZ, Middleton made her last public appearance at Christmas 2023. As E! News reported, Middleton is currently residing at the London Clinic — an upscale medical facility that's certainly fit for the future Queen of England.

Meanwhile, King Charles III is set to check into a hospital next week for treatment, according to Buckingham Palace. "In common with thousands of men each year, The King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate," read the official statement (via People). Fortunately, the king's procedure is not related to cancer either. "His Majesty's condition is benign, and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure," continued the statement. Although the recovery time for the procedure is unknown, it's been reported that he will still be able to carry out his royal responsibilities.

The concurrent hospitalizations have stirred up worry in royal watchers, but the senior royals are definitely getting adequate medical care.

Surgery is never fun, but at least Kate Middleton is recovering in the London Clinic, which has a long history of treating V.I.P. patients such as the royal family, John F. Kennedy, and Elizabeth Taylor, per the Daily Mail. However, the hospital also treats normal citizens — at least the ones who can afford it. As Hello! reported, Middleton will probably have a very upscale experience. Middleton will also be able to utilize the hospital's patient concierge service, which helps patients plan their post-hospital festivities. That said, Middleton already has a private staff on call, so the service may actually be a bit redundant.

King Charles' exact hospital hasn't been made public — possibly due to security concerns. However, the Daily Mail has reported that his hospital stay will likely amount to an overnight visit. Charles also reportedly received his enlarged prostate diagnosis at Balmoral shortly before Buckingham Palace announced the news. Unfortunately, Charles' immediate engagements  — including a visit to Dumfries House in Ayrshire  — have been canceled for the time being. 

Let's hope the senior royals experience a seamless recovery!

Although Prince William hasn't completely stepped back from royal duties, he won't be increasing his engagements to make up for Kate Middleton's absence. 

According to People, William has decided to scale back his public engagements to be present for Middleton and their three young children. To underline that fact, William has since visited his wife in the hospital, according to The Independent. The outlet posted a photo of William departing Middleton's London hospital in a luxury car as security vehicles trailed behind him. Kensington Palace has also confirmed the nature of William's visit. "The Prince has just left hospital after visiting his wife," said the Palace in statement.

Although William has not spoken directly to the media, royal commentators have theorized that William is stressed out over Middleton's procedure, which took place just days before his father, King Charles III, planned to check himself into the hospital. "For the Prince of Wales, it will be a stressful time having both his father and wife in the hospital," said royal expert Jonathan Sacerdoti in an interview with Fox News. "Just like anyone else, the health and well-being of close family will be a concern for him," he added.

Prince William's decision to stand by Kate Middleton as King Charles III prepares for his hospital stay means that three of the most prominent members of the royal family will be out of commission for the immediate future. According to The Daily Beast, the royal family isn't exactly in dire straits, however. Although Prince Harry and Prince Andrew still hold their "counsellors of state" titles which would allow them to step up if the king were deemed medically unable, there's still a crop of royals who would come before Prince Harry, who's been publicly estranged for years. Meanwhile, Prince Andrew has been dealing with the fallout of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein and would be another unlikely choice.

Hopefully, King Charles III can actually jump back into royal duties after his procedure as multiple outlets have reported. In the meantime, Camilla Parker Bowles, who hasn't announced plans to postpone her public engagements, has given an update on Charles. After commenting on the frigid temperatures in Scotland, where the gallery is located, Bowles  — who is heading a domestic violence initiative at the Aberdeen Art Gallery — took a moment to speak on Charles' health. "He's fine, thank you very much," said Bowles during an interview (via People). "Looking forward to getting back to work."