Princess of Wales to remain in hospital for two weeks as King prepares for prostate treatment

The timing of the two royal medical announcements was said to be an 'unavoidable coincidence'

Kate Middleton
The Princess of Wales underwent abdominal surgery but it has not been revealed for what condition she was treated
(Image credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

The Princess of Wales will remain in hospital for up to two weeks following successful abdominal surgery, while King Charles will be admitted to hospital next week to receive treatment for an enlarged prostate.

Kate Middleton attended a private clinic in London for planned surgery on Tuesday and is recovering well, Kensington Palace said. It is unclear what the surgery was for, but it is "understood not to be cancerous", said the Daily Mail.

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Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace announced – just 90 minutes after Kensington Palace had put out its statement – that the King would be required to attend hospital for his own procedure. The timing of the revelations is "understood to have been an unavoidable coincidence", The Telegraph reported.

The King, 75, has also postponed some engagements "on his doctor's advice", said The Sun, as he prepares for surgery on an enlarged prostate that should require an overnight stay in hospital. Unlike the Princess of Wales's condition, which has been kept under wraps so far, the King wanted to "share the details of his treatment to encourage other men to go for checks" if they were experiencing symptoms, the paper said.

The King was staying "at his private home" on the Balmoral estate when he received his diagnosis, reported the Daily Mail, but it is unclear whether he will remain in Scotland for the treatment or return to London.

Richard Windsor is a freelance writer for The Week Digital. He began his journalism career writing about politics and sport while studying at the University of Southampton. He then worked across various football publications before specialising in cycling for almost nine years, covering major races including the Tour de France and interviewing some of the sport’s top riders. He led Cycling Weekly’s digital platforms as editor for seven of those years, helping to transform the publication into the UK’s largest cycling website. He now works as a freelance writer, editor and consultant.