Kate Middleton's health raises concerns after Prince William's unexpected absence from godfather's memorial service
LONDON, ENGLAND: After a series of royal health crises, the Royal Family's silence regarding Prince William's last-minute absence from his godfather, King Constantine's memorial is a 'gift to conspiracy theorists,' sparked concerns for Kate Middleton's health.
Kensington Palace revealed that William, 41, had withdrawn from the King Constantine of Greece memorial service for "personal reasons"; King Charles III was also absent due to ongoing medical treatment.
As the British heir apparent called the Greek royal family to inform them that he would not be attending, Crown Prince Pavlos replaced the Prince of Wales who was scheduled to deliver a Bible passage, per The Independent.
Constantine, 82, died away on January 10. He served as Greece's final sovereign until the monarchy's demise in 1973.
Kate Middleton's health history with abdominal surgery sparks concerns
According to Kensington Palace, the 42-year-old Princess of Wales had "planned abdominal surgery" at The London Clinic in January 2024 for an undisclosed ailment that PEOPLE believed was not malignant.
Kate's surgeon said at the time that she 'would remain in hospital for 10 to 14 days, before returning home to continue her recovery,' but they did not disclose any more information regarding her procedure.
The Duchess of Cambridge experienced severe vomiting during each of her three pregnancies due to a disorder known as hyperemesis gravidarum.
In a 2020 episode of 'Happy Mum, Happy Baby,' Kate divulged that she used mindfulness and meditation hypnobirthing techniques to get over her severe illness.
The Princess of Wales told host Giovanna Fletcher at the time: "I saw the power of it really, the meditation and the deep breathing and things like that, that they teach you in hypnobirthing, when I was really sick, and actually I realized that this was something I could take control of, I suppose, during labor. It was hugely powerful."
Regarding the latest update about Kate's health, Kensington Palace told The Independent, that the Princess of Wales is "doing well" as of Wednesday, February 28, after she underwent the scheduled surgery on January 16.
Prince of Wales lives at Adelaide Cottage with his family, a home on the grounds of Windsor. It is anticipated that Kate—who is recovering there—will not make any public appearances until after Easter, per the New York Post.
In addition to receiving close supervision from royal physicians, Kate will get access to the London Clinic's aftercare, which includes specialized physiotherapists on hand to create a personalized plan and the option of a video check-up at home with a nursing expert.
Royal experts urge the Royal Family to be transparent about Prince William's absence
Several royal experts have offered their opinions following Prince William's absence from King Constantine's memorial due to 'personal reasons.'
Royal biographer Phil Dampier provided the Daily Mail with some analysis of William's impromptu absence. He told the source, "Constantine was his godfather and very close to all the royals, particularly King Charles, and he would have wanted William there as he didn’t attend."
Dampier remarked that it was "very concerning" given the Prince "lives only a stone’s throw away" and that William was scheduled to read at the event.
"William’s non-appearance at the memorial service for his godfather King Constantine, the last king of Greece, owing to a personal matter is certainly unexpected," added another expert, Richard Fitzwilliams.
Fitzwilliams added: "The absence of clarification when the unexpected occurs is a gift to conspiracy theorists. And clearly, this is a time where the royal family - only four of whose working members are under 70 - is under enormous pressure," per Daily Mail.
Royal reporter Rebecca English revealed on social media that she was there at the church ceremony. She claimed that the only information provided to the guests about William's withdrawal was that it was "for personal reasons, but it is clearly last-minute."
