Kate, Princess of Wales, hospitalized for planned abdominal surgery, Kensington Palace says

Kate, the Princess of Wales, was hospitalized for planned abdominal surgery, Kensington Palace said in a statement Wednesday. The British royal was expected to remain in the hospital for ten to 14 days.

The statement did not specify what the surgery was for, saying Kate, "hopes the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private."

Very soon after the news was revealed by the official residence of Kate and her husband William, the Prince of Wales, Buckingham Palace released a statement saying that William's father, King Charles III, would be admitted to a hospital next week for a procedure to treat enlarged prostate. 

"In common with thousands of men each year, The King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate. His Majesty's condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure," Buckingham Palace said in its statement, adding that the monarch would postpone his public engagements "for a short period of recuperation."  

The Kensington Palace statement included an apology from Kate for having to postpone her own upcoming engagements.

Kensington Palace confirmed to CBS News that Kate was not dealing with cancer and that William would miss some future engagements to be with his wife.

The "surgery was successful," Kensington Palace said, but "based on the current medical advice," the Princess of Wales is "unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter."

The statement says Kate "looks forward to reinstating as many (engagements) as possible, as soon as possible."

Kate's husband William, the eldest son of King Charles, is next in line to inherit the British throne. 

William and Kate have three children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.

The princess is generally healthy and active, enjoying a range of sports, but during all three of her pregnancies she suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness which left her unable to attend royal events in the weeks before her deliveries.

In:
• British Royal Family
• William Prince of Wales
• Kate Duchess of Cambridge
• Catherine Princess of Wales

Haley Ott

Haley Ott is cbsnews.com's foreign reporter, based in the CBS News London bureau. Haley joined the cbsnews.com team in 2018, prior to which she worked for outlets including Al Jazeera, Monocle, and Vice News.

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