What Happened to Princess Kate? A 'Shroud of Secrecy' Surrounds Future Queen's Mystery Operation With ‘No Promises’ of Answer

A mysterious surgery and now a botched family picture photoshop scandal have dominated the news headlines for Kate, Princess of Wales, throughout 2024 so far. After her "planned" but sudden procedure on her abdomen on January 16, a "shroud of secrecy" has surrounded the future queen.

This led a royal source to share to an outlet: "Whatever the reason for the operation was, it’s of a personal nature, and Kate wants to keep the details as private as possible."

"Perhaps when she’s feeling up to it, she may reveal more, but she’s not making any promises," they added. "A few of Kate’s senior staffers haven’t been able to see or speak to her, and they didn’t even know about the surgery until it was announced, so it’s caught them off guard."

They continued: "Kate has just recently started to open up to members of her inner circle about the nature of her operation and recovery process. “Only a few people know what’s really going on, and they’re tight-lipped."

Catherine, Princess of Wales, broke one of the monarchy's cardinal rules of "never explain" when she personally apologized for her Mother's Day photoshop mishap. Sources close to Her Royal Highness said she was simply trying to make the image "the best it could be" and that she is "deeply upset" by the furor her editing has caused.

The future queen released a photograph on Sunday, March 10, that featured herself, and her three children, Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte. A huge controversy arose sometime later when major media outlets such as the Associated Press and Reuters recalled the image due to suspicious alterations found within it. The snap was taken by Prince William and is the first clear image of the princess since Christmas Day 2023.

"Kate’s said she feels she’s entitled to heal and recuperate without all of this frenzied speculation," the insider observed. "Neither Kate nor William think her medical records should be for public consumption. She’s trying not to pay attention to all the rumors and gossip, and William is doing his best to shield her, but it’s distressing. This has been a stressful time for William and Kate, but they’re made of tough stuff and are weathering through."

"[The idea was that] Kate could thank members of the public for all the support and at the same time put some of those ridiculous conspiracy rumors to rest," the source stated. "There’s an unsettling feeling that things are crumbling within the monarchy. William is under tremendous pressure to keep things afloat."

The insider concluded: "Kate’s extremely keen to get back to work. This has been one of the most challenging months for Kate as a royal, and she’s praying the fuss dies down as soon as possible."

Us Weekly spoke with the palace insider.