She appears to be in great health, which is why the news released by Kensington Palace yesterday that the Princess of Wales has undergone abdominal surgery at the London clinic has caused concern.
Nowadays it is becoming increasingly rare to spend up to two weeks in hospital recovering, even if it is a private hospital. But it is reassuring that it was a planned operation and not an emergency.
This would have minimized the possibility of unwanted complications – the operation was calm, all available specialists were present and worked as a team without undue pressure.
It is neither safe nor good manners to speculate about personal health matters. However, we have a natural concern for the woman who will one day be our queen.
At the age of 42, she is very active and, as far as we know, has given birth to three children without complications.
The Princess of Wales is pictured at Sandringham on Christmas Day, the last time she was seen in public
Kate is not expected to return to public events until after Easter, and her husband Prince William will be by his wife and children's side throughout
As a non-smoker, the Princess of Wales has a slim build and is undoubtedly the lowest possible risk for any type of surgical procedure.
Elective abdominal surgery is rare for women in this age group. These may include an appendectomy or gallstone removal – in fact, this is one of the most common elective surgeries and is typically performed as part of keyhole surgery.
Some women experience ovarian cysts that require surgical removal, again through minimal access surgery. Other patients in this age group may undergo a hysterectomy.
Sometimes surgery is required to repair a hernia, and even young, fit, muscular women can develop a hernia.
Our esteemed Princess has been advised to rest and stay away from her public engagements for two months – it is “unlikely that she will return to her public duties before Easter,” the official announcement said.
The Princess of Wales has undergone abdominal surgery at the London Clinic and will remain there for around 10 to 14 days
If she were my wife and subjected to any of the above procedures, I would insist, although there would undoubtedly be pressure from her employer, to return to her desk within a week or two.
Nevertheless, general anesthesia and abdominal surgery of almost all types take weeks to allow for proper healing.
As a mother of three with a busy professional life, it is certainly the case that the Princess of Wales should be allowed a private and restful recovery.
All too often during this time we are expected to return to work too soon, without the opportunity for such gentle reflection, and I am both pleased and relieved that she was given this award – even if it was her doctors who had to decide what I suspect was her own insistence on returning to work immediately.