The British royal family is taking a page from Hollywood.
In what has been described as an "extraordinary" move by Daily Mail reporter Robert Hardman, Kensington Palace recently announced that Kate Middleton, who turned 42 earlier this month, underwent a "planned abdominal surgery" at The London Clinic. The Princess of Wales is postponing all public duties until after Easter.
Moments after the announcement, Buckingham Palace revealed that King Charles III was seeking treatment for an enlarged prostate. They noted that the 75-year-old’s public engagements "will be postponed for a short period of recuperation."
"When I heard the second announcement, I thought, ‘Is this a repeat?’" Hardman told Fox News Digital. "I thought it was just extraordinary to have two major royal medical bulletins on the same day within a couple of hours."
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Hardman has written a new book, "The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy." It explores the king’s reign and the pivotal events that led to his coronation in May.
Queen Elizabeth II, England’s longest-reigning monarch, died in September 2022 at age 96.
Hardman noted that it’s unusual for the royals to release details about their health. However, the twin announcements may help to avoid speculation if events featuring the king or the Princess of Wales have to be postponed or canceled over the coming weeks.
"I think what was equally surprising was that level of detail," said Hardman. "I think it says a lot about the new tone, the new style of the monarchy."
It’s the kind of transparency we would expect from a celebrity breaking their silence about a health struggle, he shared. The publicity around the king’s surgery is seen as an opportunity to encourage other men to have their prostates checked, in line with public health advice.
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"The king's release was extremely personal," Hardman explained. "I’ve never seen words like ‘enlarged prostate’ in a Buckingham Palace report before. But he’s taken a view that if you are a monarch, you lead. And one of the things he can do is lead by example. And in Britain, in the last 24 hours, online searches for ‘prostate cancer,’ ‘prostate enlargement’, the keywords have gone up. I think the latest figures are a thousand percent."
"What he’s done is very similar to what a number of celebrities, well-known public figures do when they face something personal – they talk about it to raise levels of awareness," Hardman added.
The monarch sought treatment "in common with thousands of men each year," the palace said.
An enlarged prostate is common in men over age 50. The condition affects how one urinates and isn’t usually a serious health threat. It’s not cancer and doesn’t lead to an increased risk of developing prostate cancer.
The U.K. and foreign media have been focused on the health of Britain’s senior royals in recent years, first as the late queen faded from public view during the last months of her 70-year reign, then when Charles ascended the throne at an age when most of his contemporaries were long retired.
Hardman noted that it’s not the first time in recent years the royals have been candid with the public about their health.
"It’s part of what we’ve seen the king’s sons do – both William and Harry," said Hardman. "They talk about things like mental health. And a few years ago, no royal would talk about mental health. Now both of them do."
"So I think what all of this points to is a greater degree of transparency," Hardman shared. "They’re not obviously going to suddenly let the cameras in and film everything, but it’s definitely a move toward a greater openness with the media and with the public."
In 2021, Prince Harry was filmed undergoing a form of therapy known as EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) for the Oprah Winfrey-led series, "The Me You Can't See." The Duke of Sussex said it has helped him cope with anxiety stemming from the death of his mother Princess Diana. Harry was 12 when his mother, 36, was killed in a car accident.
The prince and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped back as senior royals in 2020. They reside in California with their two children.
On Sunday, it was also announced that Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, had been diagnosed with skin cancer. The 64-year-old previously spoke out about her battle with breast cancer. Her eldest daughter, Princess Beatrice, is the patron of the British Skin Foundation and has worked with skin cancer patients.
Like any celebrity, the royals know the importance of good publicity. That’s why we can expect Zara Tindall, the daughter of Princess Anne, and her husband Mike Tindall to become familiar faces in the upcoming months, Hardman said. It will boost the royal family’s public image while its senior members recover.
Tindall, 42, and her brother Peter Phillips are not full-time working members of The Firm and don’t have royal titles. The granddaughter of the late queen married the former rugby player in 2011. Anne, 73, decided not to give her children royal titles in hopes they could have an easier childhood.
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"I think what we are probably going to see is not private citizens… suddenly being elevated to frontline royalty," Hardman explained. "I don’t think that’s going to happen, but I think what you will see is when there are big events, when there are occasions where you do need extra support, [they will be there]."
"For example, if there’s [something] like a state banquet or a state visit, those moments when you need a bit of a royal team around you, then I could see a situation, yes, where someone like Zara is being invited, encouraged to play a part. But I wouldn’t expect her to see her or Mike Tindall or anybody else like that have a formal role and attend formal engagements."
"You’re either fully royal or you’re not," Hardman pointed out. "You can’t be halfway."
One royal we shouldn’t expect to see in the spotlight anytime soon is Prince Andrew. The disgraced Duke of York has been nuclear when it comes to elevating the royal family’s publicity.
The 63-year-old was named in previously secret court documents related to Jeffrey Epstein that were unsealed in the new year.
Epstein, an American financier and convicted sex offender, was found dead behind bars in 2019 at age 66. The U.S. attorney in Manhattan prosecuted Epstein's former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, 62, for helping recruit his underage victims. She was convicted in 2021 and is serving a 20-year prison term.
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The king has been facing mounting pressure to evict his younger brother from his lavish Royal Lodge home, a 30-room mansion that extends to 98 acres. Andrew moved into the property in 2004.
Andrew has retained his title as the Duke of York. He also maintains his place in the line of succession to the British throne, which is eighth behind Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s two children. However, he cannot use the title of HRH or "His Royal Highness" in any capacity.
Andrew stepped back from royal duties in 2019. He was stripped of his honorary military titles. The queen also removed his honorary leadership of various charities, known as royal patronages.
In a lawsuit filed in 2020, Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre accused Andrew of sexually exploiting her on three occasions in 2001 when she was 17. Though Andrew has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, he agreed to an out-of-court settlement paid to the American woman in February 2022. The prince made a substantial donation to his accuser’s charity and declared he never meant to malign her character.
The settlement amount was reported to be anywhere between $3.6 million to $14.8 million.
"Andrew will forever be tainted," said Hardman. "I think the future for Prince Andrew is… very uncertain. It's not a return to public life, which is what he wants. If you're going to play a part in public life, that is predicated on the fact the public wants you and, self-evidently, the public doesn't particularly want to see the Duke of York. They just expect him to keep a low profile."
"I think that's a difficult thing to ask someone who's been in the public eye since they were born," Hardman warned. "He's fit. He doesn't drink. He's in his early 60s… he's got a long time ahead of him. But he has no real purpose as a royal."
