Kate Middleton surgery: is Princess of Wales having a hysterectomy, how much does The London Clinic cost?

Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, has been admitted to hospital for a surgery which Kensington Palace confirmed has been ‘successful’. She is expected to stay at The London Clinic, where she received treatment, for up to 14 days, and may not return to royal duties for several months.

A Palace spokesman said today: “Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales was admitted to The London Clinic yesterday for planned abdominal surgery. The surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery. Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.”

The Duchess of Wales, 42, was this week admitted to hospital for the first time that we know of since giving birth to her youngest child, Prince Louis, in 2018.

Is Kate Middleton having a hysterectomy?

A hysterectomy is a medical procedure to remove the womb - once the surgery is carried out the patient will no longer be able to get pregnant. The NHS website states that patients may spend five days in hospital following the surgery and that it may take a further six to eight weeks to fully recover.

In a statement, a Palace spokesperson said Kate Middleton wishes for her personal medical information to remain private, and the Royal Family has not confirmed what surgery she was admitted to hospital for. We do know that she was in hospital for abdominal surgery, but no further information has been provided.

She will remain at The London Clinic to recover from her operation for at least ten days, and up to a fortnight. She is also not expected to return to royal duties until after Easter, more than 10 weeks from now. This suggests that her operation was serious, although the Daily Mail reported that it was understood her surgery was not cancerous.

How much does The London Clinic charge for operations?

The London Clinic is a private hospital and registered charity in central London, established in 1932. The hospital, which has previously been used for treatment by the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, and, Princess Margaret, and American President JFK, does not provide a public record of its charges for every operation.

However, The London Clinic’s website does share estimated costs of some procedures - knee replacement surgery costs from £15,360, or from £16,910 with the consultant and anaesthetist fee included, whilst the hospital charges from from £1,660 for a Hysteroscopy.

The Clinic does not include estimated prices for a hysterectomy, however, the average cost of the procedure performed privately in the UK is around £7,000 without medical insurance - but prices can range from £3,000 to £9,500. Hysterectomies are provided free on the NHS, 

The London Clinic website states that the hospital performs hysterectomies using laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery. The site also states that the surgery is only suited to women who are are ‘past childbearing age, or who have completed their family’.