Kate Middleton’s Hospital Records Reportedly Involved in Attempted Security Breach: Kensington Palace’s Surprising Response
Kate Middleton‘s hospital records were reportedly involved in an attempted security breach at The London Clinic. The Princess of Wales spent two weeks as a patient of the clinic after undergoing abdominal surgery in mid-January. Subsequently, Kensington Palace reacted to the incident with quite the surprising response.
A hospital worker allegedly attempted to access the Princess of Wales’s private records
The Mirror reports that a London Clinic staff member attempted to access Kate Middleton’s private hospital records. Their reporting revealed a worker tried to view confidential notes regarding the Princess of Wales’ January hospitalization.
The Mirror quoted an Information Commissioner’s Office spokesperson about the reported attempted information breach. The spokesperson said, “We can confirm that we have received a breach report and are assessing the information provided.”
Kensington Palace responded with a statement regarding the security breach. The Mirror’s quote from the palace states, “This is a matter for The London Clinic.”
Historically, The London Clinic has treated several royal family members, including King Charles, Kate, Prince Philip, and Princess Margaret. In addition, Queen Elizabeth opened its cancer wing in 2010.
What are the penalties for breaching a patient’s private hospital records in the UK?
The penalties for breaching a patient’s private hospital records vary in the United Kingdom. The ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) shares details on handling these issues.
A monetary penalty is typically issued to those who breach confidential information. Furthermore, the ICO states, “Any penalty that we issue is intended to be effective, proportionate and dissuasive, and will be decided on a case by case basis.”
The ICO also has a page on how personal data breaches are handled within their organization. It states, “If the breach is likely to result in a high risk of adversely affecting individuals’ rights and freedoms, you must also inform those individuals without undue delay.”
Per The Mirror, Kate Middleton was reportedly notified of the attempted data breach. The outlet did not reveal her response regarding the information the hospital provided.
Kate Middleton has not publicly discussed the health issues that caused her hospitalization
Before her hospitalization, the Princess of Wales did not publicly declare she was dealing with medical issues. Kensington Palace revealed scarce details on her abdominal surgery after it took place on Jan. 16, 2024.
The palace discussed Kate’s surgery in a statement on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ Instagram page. However, it did state that she wanted her medical information to remain private.
Kate left The London Clinic after two weeks to recover at home with her husband, Prince William, and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. She was first seen publicly via a paparazzi photograph on March 4, where she was seated in the passenger seat of a car driven by her mother.
Subsequently, Kate posed for a Mother’s Day photograph on March 10 with her children. She was videotaped walking with William at Windsor Farm Shop eight days later.
Details regarding Kate’s surgery remain private. While online speculation abounds about when she may address issues surrounding her hospitalization, Kensington Palace has not confirmed that Kate intends to discuss her health matters at a future date.
