King Charles and Kate Middleton’s Hospitalizations Open the Door to ‘Positive Contact’ With Prince Harry, Commentator Says
It seems King Charles III and Kate Middleton’s surgery announcements present a unique opportunity for Prince Harry. According to a royal commentator, the hospitalizations of the king and Princess of Wales provide the Duke of Sussex with a chance for some “positive” communication with the royal family.
King Charles’s enlarged prostate treatment and Kate’s ‘planned’ abdominal surgery
The royal family provided health updates on not just King Charles but also Kate via statements on Jan. 17, 2024.
Kensington Palace released a statement saying the 42-year-old had been admitted to the hospital on Jan. 16, 2024, for a “planned” abdominal surgery.
Although they didn’t specify the exact procedure Kate underwent, the palace noted she’s expected to stay in the hospital for 10-14 days. At that time, she’ll then be “returning home to continue her recovery.”
Furthermore, it’s “unlikely” to see Kate carrying out any official appearances until after Easter.
Just hours later, Buckingham Palace released a statement saying King Charles, 75, would be hospitalized. Th reason: surgery for an enlarged prostate (via NBC News). They shared that the condition is benign and that it’s simply a “corrective procedure.”
Harry has the opportunity to make ‘quiet, positive contact’ with the royal family amid Kate, King Charles hospital stays
Speaking to Newsweek, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said it might be a good time for Harry to have some “positive” contact with his relatives.
“Given the very public rift in the royal family, it would only make sense for any contact to be private,” Fitzwilliams said. “The main reason that members of the royal family view the Sussexes with mistrust is their use of the media. Now might be a time for quiet, positive contact.”
“Harry was in touch with his father on his 75th birthday,” he said in reference to a reported phone call that included a video of Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 2.
“But that was soon followed by the fiasco surrounding Omid Scobie’s Endgame,” Fitzwilliams added. “Some contact is surely likely to follow, and hopefully, it might, at long last, prove beneficial for future relations.”
Prince Harry may have learned of King Charles and Kate’s hospitalizations from news reports, not the palace
It seems royal history might be repeating itself a little bit. Similar to Queen Elizabeth II’s death, which Harry revealed he learned of via BBC News in Spare, the 39-year-old was reportedly made aware of his father’s upcoming hospitalization through the news.
Per a Daily Telegraph report, private attempts to contact Harry may have gone unseen until after he saw the news of his father’s medical procedure following Buckingham Palace’s statement.
“Buckingham Palace did make efforts to inform all senior members of the royal family,” the outlet reported. “And that included relaying a message to Prince Harry.”
“However, the public announcement was made at 3:25 p.m. U.K. time, which is 7:25 a.m. in California,” they added. “And it is thought the Duke may have seen the news alerts before any private message.”
The outlet also reported how Harry found out about the latest development in King Charles’s health may pass without any friction.
“Each side is keen not to stir up further tensions, aware that any kind of declaration could plunge relations to a new low,” they wrote.
“There may be debate over when precisely Harry found out about the King’s prostate diagnosis. Hopefully, we won’t find out about it in a future memoir,” Fitzwilliams said.
