Princess Kate may feel able to reveal more about her health condition once she gets back out and about, but only if she feels it is the right moment to talk about it.
Prince William has been representing the Waleses while his wife remains at home recuperating following a planned procedure on her abdomen at the beginning of the year.
Kensington Palace released a statement explaining that Kate was doing well after the operation but would be taking time off royal duties until Easter to recover.
However an image shared by the family on Mother’s Day led to further speculation about Kate’s condition after several photo agencies issued orders to pull it over fears it had been edited.
The Princess later put out a statement attempting to clarify the issue saying: “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.
“I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C.”
A friend and adviser to Kate and William said of the incident: “If you want to call out the mistake, it was Kate not telling her team that she’d done it [edited the photo]. But she came out and said sorry.
“The photo was a misstep, even with something as innocent as that you should disclose altering it. But in the history of image-cropping and photo-altering to tell a story, a lot of the reaction from picture agencies was hypocritical.”
Writing in The Times, royal correspondent Roya Nikkhah clarified that the Princess of Wales would not be back on royal duties until after the children’s Easter holidays.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will return to school at Lambrook on April 17 after Easter, as Kate and William traditionally spend the school holidays with their family.
Speaking about when Kate does return, a royal source told the publication: “They are at their most open when out interacting with members of the public and I can see a world in which the princess might discuss her recovery out on engagements. If she was going to do it, that’s how she would do it.”
A friend added: “They will want to be clear and more open, but they’ll do it when they feel ready. I would expect that to be her instinct and it will be her call. They’re not going to be rushed.”
Princess Kate has previously spoken about her medical history, such as when she was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum during the first weeks of her pregnancy with Prince George.
During a visit to the Orchards Centre in Kent last year, she spoke to a father whose wife also experienced the condition, with Kate saying: “[It was] utterly rotten. I was really sick.
“I wasn’t eating the things I should be eating and yet the body was still able to take all the goodness from my body and to grow new life, which I think is fascinating.”
