Hospital staff tried to access Kate Middleton's private medical records following surgery: report
There has been an alleged breach in Kate Middleton’s private medical records, according to the hospital where she had undergone abdominal surgery last January.
British tabloid The Mirror reported that The London Clinic launched an internal investigation amid claims that at least one hospital staff tried to access Kate’s notes.
“This is a major security breach and incredibly damaging for the hospital, given its unblemished reputation for treating members of the Royal Family,” a source told The Mirror. “Senior hospital bosses contacted Kensington Palace immediately after the incident was brought to their attention and assured the palace there would be a full investigation.”
“The whole medical staff have been left utterly shocked and distraught over the allegations,” the source added, “and were very hurt that a trusted colleague could have possibly been responsible for such a breach of trust and ethics.”
A spokesperson for Kensington Palace, meanwhile, said, “This is a matter for The London Clinic,” when sought for comment.
The London Clinic refused to comment on the claims, but noted that it “firmly” believes that all its patients, no matter their status, “deserve total privacy and confidentiality regarding their medical information.”
Kate hasn’t announced her condition to the public, though a source told NBC News that it was non-cancerous.
The reported breach comes on the heels of another local tabloid, The Sun, publishing a photo and video of Kate with her husband, Prince William, at a farmer's market in Windsor, west of the capital London.
Kate is taking a break from public duty while she continues her recovery. She hasn’t appeared in a public event since December, even as speculations about her health continue.
She recently stirred controversy for her edited Mother’s Day photo, which prompted news agencies to delete it from their websites.
Opening in 1932, the London Clinic is a 56-room hospital treating several figures, including Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Princess Margaret, former Prime Ministers Clement Attlee and Tory Anthony Eden, and ex-United States President John F. Kennedy.
King Charles was admitted to The London Clinic at the same time as Kate due to his enlarged prostate.