Kate Middleton, Prince William believe they 'have nothing to prove' when it comes to princess's health: expert

Kate Middleton has allegedly been keeping her recovery a top secret — even from palace staff.

Sources alleged to Us Weekly that the Princess of Wales has kept herself behind closed doors since she returned to her home in Windsor after abdominal surgery for undisclosed reasons. Insiders claimed that the mother of three had just started opening up about her surgery to only close confidants.

"My palace contacts have communicated with the princess but haven’t seen her because she is technically off-duty to recover from a massive abdominal surgery," Kinsey Schofield, host of the To Di For Daily podcast, alleged to Fox News Digital.

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Kate Middleton has been recovering from abdominal surgery in Windsor. (Max Mumby/Indigo)

"The same way you or I would be out sick, we wouldn’t have employees stopping by our home when we recuperate," she shared. "It isn’t necessary. Nothing they are communicating about today requires a face-to-face conversation. There is a hierarchy within the palace and top talent is privy to details, and they communicate when necessary."

"The Prince and Princess of Wales are incredibly private," Schofield shared. "They’ve always been. It is their objective to allow Catherine time off until Easter. Nothing is alarming about keeping that circle small and secure until she is back to work. William and Kate believe that they have nothing to prove. Catherine’s health is their number one priority."

Schofield claimed that the mother of three has been shielded by those who live near her in Windsor.

Only the royals' closest confidantes are aware of Kate Middleton's health condition. (Max Mumby/Indigo)

"Catherine has been seen on school runs," she said. "The entire neighborhood is very protective of her and her family right now. They think this speculation is intrusive and out of control."

On Jan. 17, Kensington Palace revealed the wife of Prince William underwent "planned abdominal surgery" at The London Clinic the previous day.

"The surgery was successful, and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for 10 to 14 days before returning home to continue her recovery," a palace statement said at the time. "Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter."

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In January, Kensington Palace announced Kate Middleton had planned abdominal surgery in London. (Max Mumby/Indigo)

The palace also noted that the 42-year-old is "making good progress."

Speculation surrounding the royal’s health skyrocketed after the palace shared a photo of the princess with her three children for Mother’s Day in the U.K. On Monday, Middleton issued an apology on social media after news and photo agencies pulled the photo due to suspicions of manipulation.

"Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing," the princess wrote. "I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day."

AP News issued a "photo kill" notice on a picture of Kate Middleton and her children she released to the public. (AP News)

The message was signed "C" for Catherine.

A spokesperson for Kensington Palace, which handles the office of the Prince and Princess of Wales, didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

"Kate’s most senior advisers were made aware of her upcoming surgery but were told not to share any details with lower-level staffers," Christopher Andersen, author of "The King," alleged to Fox News Digital.

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Kate Middleton attends the Christmas Morning Service at Sandringham Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, England, on Dec. 25, 2023. (Stephen Pond)

"Kate and William both feel they are entitled to complete privacy when it comes to medical issues," he claimed. "But unfortunately, the monarchy is an institution supported by the British taxpayer. Members of the royal family are living, breathing symbols of the state, as well as public servants. There are ways to handle such matters delicately, without making the press and public feel they are being stonewalled."

Andersen noted that William has been attempting to keep up appearances by completing royal duties as his wife recovers. But the wall of silence the couple created has been deafening, he claimed.

"William seems to be sailing above it all, oblivious to the lurid chatter that has inevitably bubbled up regarding the state of his marriage," he said. "He is making public appearances and delivering speeches without making any reference to what the entire world is an uproar about — Where the hell is the Princess of Wales? Why is she hiding? Why did she undergo major abdominal surgery? Why the clumsily doctored photograph? Why all the secrecy?"

Prince William visited the WEST youth center and appeared animated with the children on Thursday. (Getty Images)

Prince William and Queen Camilla are seen attending the Commonwealth Day Service on Monday. (Henry Nicholls)

"When a respected international news agency like Agence France-Press official states that Kensington Palace can no longer be considered a trusted source, you know things are spiraling out of control in the House of Windsor," he added.

The Associated Press and other news agencies pulled the image from their websites over concerns that it was "manipulated."

"AP initially published the photo, which was issued by Kensington Palace. But AP later retracted the image because at closer inspection, it appeared the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet AP’s photo standards. The photo shows an inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte’s left hand," the news agency said.

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Kate Middleton issued an apology for her Mother's Day photo on social media. (Max Mumby/Indigo)

According to the AP, its "editorial standards state that images must be accurate. AP does not use altered or digitally manipulated images."

"AP’s news values and principles explain that minor photo editing, including cropping and toning and color adjustments, are acceptable when necessary for clear and accurate reproduction and should maintain the authentic nature of the photograph," it said.

"Changes in density, contrast, color and saturation levels that substantially alter the original scene are not acceptable. Backgrounds should not be digitally blurred or eliminated by burning down or by aggressive toning. The removal of ‘red eye’ from photographs is not permissible."

Kate Middleton is married to Prince William, the eldest son of King Charles III and heir to the British throne. (Ben Stansall - WPA Pool)

When the AP determined the photo appeared to have been manipulated, it issued what is known as a "photo kill," an industry term that retracted the image and instructed clients to remove the photo from their systems.

The AP also announced that "no replacement photo will be sent." Fox News Digital confirmed that Reuters and Getty also pulled the photo from their sites.

The caption noted that the photo was taken in "2024" by William.

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Scrutiny surrounding Kate Middleton's health has only intensified on social media. (Ian Vogler/Getty Images)

British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital she isn’t surprised that the Prince and Princess of Wales haven't attempted to further smooth things over. Privacy, she said, is the main priority for their family right now. This also prevents any possible leaks to the hungry press.

"The wall of silence protecting Kate is a clear indication of the degree to which she is cherished by family, friends and staffers alike," she said. "Most leaks are originally from either disgruntled staffers or alienated family members. All are adhering to this silence clearly to protect her."

Kate Middleton has been nicknamed "Fakey Katie" by the U.K. tabloids. (Max Mumby)

Following Middleton's return to Windsor, Schofield asserted to Fox News Digital that she had been quietly keeping busy.

"I have heard that the Princess of Wales has been responding to emails, but everything has been structured so that she is not overwhelmed or disturbed by incoming dialogue," Schofield previously shared.

"Kate is not a rule breaker," said Schofield. "She is going to follow the doctor’s orders but engage when she can, so she doesn’t feel behind. I don’t expect to see her in an official capacity until Easter, but I believe she is engaged behind the scenes."

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Kinsey Schofield, host of the To Di For Daily podcast, previously asserted to Fox News Digital that Kate Middleton has been keeping busy by responding to emails. (Alastair Grant - WPA Pool)

Sources told Schofield that Middleton has been receiving plenty of support at home from her husband, their three children and countless royal watchers wishing her a speedy recovery.

"Catherine is a very loving and affectionate parent, so there would likely be a huge hole there for the family without her," Schofield explained. "She is also so disciplined, which can be a comfort for small kids. They like their routine."

"I have seen beautiful campaigns online to send the princess well wishes," Schofield continued. "I believe her office is enjoying receiving the positive feedback and could very well be overwhelmed with cards and love notes. They will pass as much as they can on to the princess, and the offices will respond with a thank you to all who have written."