Where Is Kate Middleton Now? She Reportedly Missed St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Paid for Soldiers’ Bar Tab

The Princess of Wales was reportedly unable to attend a St. Patrick's Day celebration amid her recovery but put down a large amount of money for a group of Irish guards at a bar.

Where Is Kate Middleton Now? She Reportedly Missed St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Paid for Soldiers’ Bar Tab

Kate Middleton

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Kate Middleton on the catwalk wearing a sheer black lace dress over a bandeau bra and black bikini bottoms
St Andrews University Charity Fashion Show, Scotland, Britain - 26 Mar 2002
Kate Middleton, 19, a friend of Prince William at the university wearing a sheer black lace dress over a bandeau bra and black bikini bottoms. She is believed to be one of his future flatmates in his second year.

Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton at Game Fair, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, Britain  - Aug 2004
Could 2008 be the year that Prince William and Kate Middleton make their relationship official?

Back in August 2004, Kate looked like she didn't have a care in the world - perhaps safe in the knowledge that she had snagged the world's number one eligible bachelor.

The couple met at University of St Andrews, Scotland, in 2001, when Kate was in her first year.

From around Christmas of 2003 to April 2007, she and Prince William were involved in a relationship that was subjected to intense media attention.

But at the Game Fair at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, Kate seemed to be bearing up to the pressure pretty well and has rarely been seen without a smile for the cameras since.

There have been rumours that the couple have already taken the next major step in their relationship. Miss Middleton has supposedly moved into Clarence House, and given the keys to her Chelsea flat to her sister, Pippa. Will a ring on the finger be next?

Kate Middleton
HUGH VAN CUTSEM AND ROSE ASTOR WEDDING, BURFORD, OXFORDSHIRE, BRITAIN - 04 JUN 2005

Image Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Princess Kate is recovering after undergoing a planned operation earlier this year, but the public is still worried about her whereabouts. Although Kensington Palace confirmed that she would not return to public duties until the spring, fans of the royal family are speculating over her absence. Some have alleged that Kate’s Mother’s Day Instagram photo was AI generated, and the Agence France-Presse (AFP) even said that Kensington Palace is “not a trusted source.”

Amid her recovery, Kate covered a bar tab for Irish soldiers after she was unable to attend a St. Patrick’s Day parade, putting down $2,500 for the guards, Daily Mail reported on March 21.

Find out what Kate is doing now amid her recovery.

Kate MiddletonCharles McQuillan/Getty Images

What Happened to Kate Middleton?

In January, Kensington Palace announced that the Princess of Wales underwent a “planned abdominal surgery” and was expected to make a full recovery.

“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,” the palace explained in its statement. “Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.”

The palace acknowledged that Kate expected the public to be concerned about her condition and reassured fans that she was healthy.

“The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate,” the palace added. “She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible, and her wish that her personal medical information remains private. Kensington Palace will, therefore, only provide updates on Her Royal Highness’ progress when there is significant new information to share. The Princess of Wales wishes to apologise to all those concerned for the fact that she has to postpone her upcoming engagements. She looks forward to reinstating as many as possible, as soon as possible.”

Two months later, Kate was spotted in public for the first time in a car with her mother, Carole. That month, the royal was seen out and about again with her husband, Prince William, also riding in a car. In March, the Prince and Princess of Wales were reportedly seen on a shopping date in the U.K., and Kate was looking “happy” and “healthy.”

Are There AI-Generated Images of Kate?

In March 2024, social media users were weary about a specific photo that the Princess of Wales posted to Instagram in celebration of Mother’s Day in the U.K. The image was taken down after the Associated Press issued a “kill notification” about it, warning journalists and accompanying websites to avoid using the “manipulated” picture. In the snapshot, viewers noticed that Kate and William’s children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — appeared to have been Photoshopped.

Shortly thereafter, Kate issued a statement via X and her Instagram Stories, admitting that she had edited the image.

“Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing,” she explained. “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.”

Nevertheless, Instagram put an “altered photo” warning label on Kate’s post.

What Is Prince William Doing Amid Kate’s Recovery?

As his wife continues to keep a low profile at the moment, the Prince of Wales has been attending a few events. He has not directly responded to Kate’s absence from public outings.