It’s almost three months into 2024, and we still haven’t officially seen Kate Middleton. That shouldn’t come as a surprise: In January, Kensington Palace announced that the Princess of Wales was in recovery from an abdominal surgery. But after the princess shared a doctored photo of her family for Mother’s Day, conspiracy theories exploded from all corners of the internet and subsequently went mainstream. Where was the princess? Was she missing? The only way to put a stop to it, it seemed, was for Middleton to make a public appearance—which she still hasn’t quite done. (Although, according to a report from British tabloid The Sun, she was recently spotted at a farmers market in Windsor, England.)
Speculation abounded that the Princess might appear on Easter Sunday, which this year falls on March 31. Part of it was the wording of Kensington Palace’s original statement about Middleton’s health: “Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter,” a spokesperson wrote. Then, there was the fact that the royal family typically attends Easter mass together at St. George’s Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle. It is an appearance that is regularly covered—and photographed—by press around the world. It seemed like a natural way for Middleton to return to the spotlight.
According to a new report in the Times of London, however, Middleton’s return to royal life will be in mid-April. “By [stating that the Princess would appear after Easter], they meant the end of their children’s school holidays, not the Easter weekend,” reporter Roya Nikkah writes. “They return to Lambrook School, near Ascot, on April 17, and Kate is still expected to resume public duties from then, though there are no signals yet as to when or where her first engagement will be. William will also take time away from public duties during their children’s Easter holiday.”
In just over a month, there will also be a new royal photo for the public to obsess over: Prince Louis turns six on April 23. Traditionally, the family releases a portrait to mark the birthday. In most years, the photo has been taken by Middleton herself. However, due to her recent editing scandal—where her several Photoshop errors led to the AP issuing a “kill notice”—the public’s confidence in Kensington Palace is at an all-time low. As a result, the stakes for this photograph are unusually high, as the Waleses seek to regain that trust.