Princess Kate Spotted in Public for the First Time Since Abdominal Surgery, According to TMZ

Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales, was seen in public on Monday for the first time since undergoing abdominal surgery in mid-January, according to photos published by U.S. outlet TMZ. Princess Kate, 42, has been recovering at their home in Windsor since leaving the hospital on January 29.

Photos published by TMZ showed Kate wearing sunglasses while being driven in a car. The celebrity news site said they were taken Monday near Windsor Castle.

CBS News, like most U.K. media outlets, has chosen not to publish the clandestinely snapped photos out of respect for her privacy while she recovers from her operation.

The sighting comes amidst a flurry of social media buzz and conspiracy theories about Princess Kate’s absence from the spotlight. Speculation intensified when Prince William recently backed out of a public appearance at a memorial service for his late godfather, citing a “personal matter”.

Although the palace denied Prince William’s absence being linked to King Charles III’s ongoing cancer treatments, the decision was not explicitly separated from Princess Kate’s ongoing recovery. Kensington Palace previously stated that Princess Kate would be “unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter”.

News has emerged of Princess Kate’s first anticipated public appearance since her surgery. She is expected to attend the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony in central London on June 8. However, the royal family has not confirmed any future public events for her since her hospitalization.

Princess Kate’s hospitalization coincided with the announcement of King Charles III being admitted for surgery related to a benign prostate condition, followed by an unrelated cancer diagnosis. While undergoing treatment, King Charles has withdrawn from public duties but has kept up with limited official engagements.