The Princess of Wales has been pictured for the first time since she had abdominal surgery in January.
A long range image of Kate taken by a paparazzi was published by US outlets on Monday and showed her in the passenger seat of a car.
The princess was wearing sunglasses as she was being driven by her mother, Carole Middleton, near Windsor Castle.
It is the first time Kate has been photographed since Christmas Day, when she joined other members of the Royal Family at Sandringham. The new image was reportedly taken on Monday morning.
The photograph was not authorised by Kensington Palace, which has previously given short updates about the princess’s condition while emphasising her wish for privacy.
Yahoo News UK has approached Kensington Palace for comment.
She was photographed on the same day that her uncle, Gary Goldsmith, appeared on the ITV show Celebrity Big Brother.
Last week, speculation about Kate’s ongoing absence intensified when the Prince of Wales unexpectedly pulled out of a memorial service for the late King Constantine of Greece, his godfather, hours before it was due to start.
A spokesperson for Kate told the BBC in response on Thursday night: “Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess’s recovery. We said we’d only be providing significant updates. That guidance stands.”
Watch: William misses godfather’s memorial service due to personal matter
Here’s a breakdown of what we know – and don’t know – about the Princess of Wales’s surgery and her recovery:
What we know
A statement released by Kensington Palace on 17 January revealed that Kate was admitted to a private London Clinic the previous day. She went on to stay in hospital for 12 days before returning to her Adelaide Cottage home in Windsor. The palace said she would not return to public duties until Easter.
We also know that further details of Kate’s medical information will remain private for the foreseeable future. Kensington Palace said her progress will only be shared “when there is significant new information”.
The last time Kate was seen in public was on Christmas Day, since then she has remained out of the public eye. The day after her surgery was announced her husband was seen visiting her in hospital on 18 January.
On 26 January King Charles underwent his procedure for an enlarged prostate in the same hospital where Kate was recovering. People magazine reported the King visited her ahead of his own surgery. Kensington Palace announced Kate had returned home on 29 January “to continue her recovery from surgery” adding she was making “good progress.”
On 7 February Prince William returned to public life and he was pictured attending the Baftas on 18 February.
Kate and King Charles’s absence from public life means the King’s “slimmed-down” monarchy is somewhat exposed. However, the counsellors of state – senior royals who are authorised to carry out official duties on behalf of the sovereign – will not be needed while the King undergoes surgery, according to Buckingham Palace.
The double health scare is, however, an indication of how fragile Charles’s approach to the monarchy is – particularly as two royals, Prince Harry and the Duke of York, do not carry out official duties.
What we don’t know
Beyond describing the surgery as “successful”, the initial palace statement gave no indication as to the seriousness of the surgery and the impact it has had on Kate. The most recent statement did not give any further details on the type of surgery she underwent.
The fact the palace felt the need to comment on the speculation on social media shows at least tacit acknowledgement of the misinformation that has been spread online.
That speculation has ramped up on social media since Prince William pulled out of King Constantine’s funeral for a personal matter.
The precise timing of Kate’s planned return is not known, April is the earliest date, but it could be that she cancels more engagements beyond then. The Times reported that her diary has been cleared for “many months”.
Reports in The Daily Mail suggest that Kate was advised to recover for two to three months. They add that any return to official duties would entirely depend on the medical advice she receives closer to the time.
And while Kensington Palace said the surgery was “planned”, we don’t know how long it had been planned – though it does likely mean the surgery was not an emergency procedure. According to the well-connected Royal Central website, the Palace reportedly told journalists that her condition was not cancerous.
Despite these suggestions, we don’t – and may never – have the details of what the operation was for, with the statement saying that Kate’s medical notes are private.
