LONDON — A British privacy watchdog said Wednesday it was investigating a report that staff at a private London hospital tried to snoop on the Princess of Wales ' medical records while she was a patient for abdominal surgery.
The Information Commissioner's Office said: "We can confirm that we have received a breach report and are assessing the information provided."
The Daily Mirror newspaper reported that at least one staff member at the London Clinic tried to look at Kate's notes during her stay there in January. The princess had surgery at the clinic in central London on Jan. 16 and was discharged almost two weeks later.
FILE - A general view of The London Clinic where Kate, Princess of Wales is recovering from surgery, in London, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. A British privacy watchdog said Wednesday, March 20, 2024, it is looking into a report that staff at a private London hospital tried to access the Princess of Wales’ medical records while she was a patient for abdominal surgery. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
Kensington Palace, the office of Kate and husband Prince William, said that the report was "a matter for the London Clinic."
Al Russell, the hospital's chief executive, said Wednesday that "all appropriate investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken."
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"There is no place at our hospital for those who intentionally breach the trust of any of our patients or colleagues," he said in a statement.
Health Minister Maria Caulfield said that police had been asked to look into the matter.
"Whether they take action is a matter for them," she told LBC radio.
FILE - Britain's Kate, Princess of Wales, visits the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust and meets with some of the young people that the charity supports, May 16, 2023, in Bath, England. The scandal over Kate, Princess of Wales’ family snapshot — dubbed “photogate” — is a new chapter in the thorny relationship between the media and Britain’s royal family. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, Pool, File)
"But the Information Commissioner can also take prosecutions," she added. "So there are particularly hefty implications if you are looking at notes for medical records that you should not be looking at."
The clinic in London's Marylebone neighborhood, less than two miles (around three kilometers) from Buckingham Palace, has treated several members of the royal family over the decades. King Charles III spent a weekend there in January undergoing a procedure to treat an enlarged prostate. Soon after, the palace said that doctors had diagnosed the king with an unspecified form of cancer.
Charles, 75, was withdrawn from public duties while he has cancer treatment — a period that has coincided with Kate's disappearance from public view.
FILE - Police officers stand guard outside The London Clinic where Kate, Princess of Wales is recovering from surgery, in London, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. A British privacy watchdog said Wednesday, March 20, 2024, it is looking into a report that staff at a private London hospital tried to access the Princess of Wales’ medical records while she was a patient for abdominal surgery. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
Kensington Palace has given little detail about Kate's condition beyond saying that it isn't cancer-related, the surgery was successful and recuperation will keep the princess away from public duties until April.
Even though that time hasn't yet elapsed, the princess' absence from public view has fueled a tide of speculation, rumor and conspiracy theories.
On March 10, William and Kate's Kensington Palace office released a photo of Kate and her children George, Charlotte and Louis to coincide with Mother's Day in the U.K. The move backfired when The Associated Press and other news agencies retracted the picture from publication, because it appeared to have been manipulated, fueling even more conjecture.
Kate issued a statement acknowledging that she liked to "experiment with editing" and apologizing for "any confusion" the photo had caused.
The gossip hasn't been quieted by footage published by The Sun and TMZ that appears to show Kate and husband Prince William visiting a farm shop near their Windsor home on the weekend. The video sparked a new flurry of rumor-mongering, with some armchair sleuths refusing to believe the video showed Kate at all.
Nelson Silva, a local resident who said he shot the footage, told The Sun that conspiracy theorists are "delusional."
"I'm not so much shocked that these comments have continued, I'm just confused how exactly they can continue," he was quoted as saying. "This is a video clearly showing her and William. I saw them with my own eyes."
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Photos: Kate Middleton through the years
Britain's Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge arrive for a visit to the vaccination center at Westminster Abbey, London, Tuesday, March 23, 2021 to pay tribute to the efforts of those involved in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout. The U.K. is marking a national day of reflection Tuesday a year after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson first announced that the country would go into lockdown to slow the fast-spreading coronavirus. (Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge with Dean of Westminster The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, right, and Paul Baumann, Receiver General and Chapter Clerk arrive for a visit to the vaccination center at Westminster Abbey, London, Tuesday, March 23, 2021 to pay tribute to the efforts of those involved in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout. The U.K. is marking a national day of reflection Tuesday a year after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson first announced that the country would go into lockdown to slow the fast-spreading coronavirus. (Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Kate, Duchess of Cambridge speaks to staff during a visit to the vaccination center at Westminster Abbey, London, Tuesday, March 23, 2021 to pay tribute to the efforts of those involved in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout. The U.K. is marking a national day of reflection Tuesday a year after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson first announced that the country would go into lockdown to slow the fast-spreading coronavirus. (Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge reacts, during a meeting with fishermen and their families in Fife to hear about the work of fishing communities on the East Coast of Scotland, Wednesday May 26, 2021. (Chris Jackson/PA via AP)
Britain's Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, left, and US First Lady Jill Biden laugh during a visit to Connor Downs Academy in Hayle, West Cornwall, during the G7 summit in England, Friday, June 11, 2021. (Aaron Chown/Pool photo via AP)
Britain's Kate, The Duchess of Cambridge, speaks to Ed Sheeran, center, and Gregory Porter after the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall, in London, Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021. (Jonathan Brady/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain's Prince William and Kate, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, are seen after watching the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall, in London, Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021. (Jonathan Brady/Pool Photo via AP)
FILE - Britain's Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge visits the Urban Nature Project at the Natural History Museum, in London, June 22, 2021. The Duchess of Cambridge, who turns 40 on Sunday Jan. 9, 2022, has emerged as Britain’s reliable royal. After Prince Harry and Meghan’s stormy departure to California in 2020, the death of Prince Philip last year, and now sex abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the former Kate Middleton remains in the public eye as the smiling mother of three who can comfort grieving parents at a children's hospice or wow the nation by playing piano during a televised Christmas concert. (Geoff Pugh/Pool Photo via AP, File)
FILE - Britain's Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge attends the Anzac Day Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, in London, April 25, 2019. Anzac Day has been commemorated in London since the first anniversary of the Anzac landings at Gallipoli in 1916, when King George V attended a service at Westminster Abbey and more than 2,000 Australian and New Zealand troops marched through the streets. The Duchess of Cambridge, who turns 40 on Sunday Jan. 9, 2022, has emerged as Britain’s reliable royal. After Prince Harry and Meghan’s stormy departure to California in 2020, the death of Prince Philip last year, and now sex abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the former Kate Middleton remains in the public eye as the smiling mother of three who can comfort grieving parents at a children's hospice or wow the nation by playing piano during a televised Christmas concert. (Victoria Jones/Pool Photo via AP, File)
FILE - The girlfriends of Britain's Prince William, Kate Middleton, leaves after attending their university graduation ceremony at St. Andrews University in St. Andrews, Scotland, June 23, 2005. The Duchess of Cambridge, who turns 40 on Sunday Jan. 9, 2022, has emerged as Britain’s reliable royal. After Prince Harry and Meghan’s stormy departure to California in 2020, the death of Prince Philip last year, and now sex abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the former Kate Middleton remains in the public eye as the smiling mother of three who can comfort grieving parents at a children's hospice or wow the nation by playing piano during a televised Christmas concert. (Michael Dunlea/Pool Photo via AP, File)
FILE - Britain's Prince William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton walk together at RAF Cranwell, England, April 11, 2008, after William received his RAF wings from his father, Prince Charles. The Duchess of Cambridge, who turns 40 on Sunday Jan. 9, 2022, has emerged as Britain’s reliable royal. After Prince Harry and Meghan’s stormy departure to California in 2020, the death of Prince Philip last year, and now sex abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the former Kate Middleton remains in the public eye as the smiling mother of three who can comfort grieving parents at a children's hospice or wow the nation by playing piano during a televised Christmas concert. (AP Photo/Michael Dunlea, Pool, File)
FILE - Britain's Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, left, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex speak as they sit in the Royal Box on Centre Court to watch the women's singles final match between Serena Williams of the United States and Romania's Simona Halep on day twelve of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, July 13, 2019. The Duchess of Cambridge, who turns 40 on Sunday Jan. 9, 2022, has emerged as Britain’s reliable royal. After Prince Harry and Meghan’s stormy departure to California in 2020, the death of Prince Philip last year, and now sex abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the former Kate Middleton remains in the public eye as the smiling mother of three who can comfort grieving parents at a children's hospice or wow the nation by playing piano during a televised Christmas concert. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)
FILE - Britain's Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge reacts as she plays tennis with US Open Champion Emma Raducanu during an event hosted by the LTA Youth programme, at the National Tennis Centre in London, Sept. 24, 2021. The Duchess of Cambridge, who turns 40 on Sunday Jan. 9, 2022, has emerged as Britain’s reliable royal. After Prince Harry and Meghan’s stormy departure to California in 2020, the death of Prince Philip last year, and now sex abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the former Kate Middleton remains in the public eye as the smiling mother of three who can comfort grieving parents at a children's hospice or wow the nation by playing piano during a televised Christmas concert. (Jeremy Selwyn/Pool Photo via AP, File)
FILE - Britain's Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge arrives for the World premiere of the new film from the James Bond franchise 'No Time To Die', in London, Sept. 28, 2021. The Duchess of Cambridge, who turns 40 on Sunday Jan. 9, 2022, has emerged as Britain’s reliable royal. After Prince Harry and Meghan’s stormy departure to California in 2020, the death of Prince Philip last year, and now sex abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the former Kate Middleton remains in the public eye as the smiling mother of three who can comfort grieving parents at a children's hospice or wow the nation by playing piano during a televised Christmas concert. (Chris Jackson/Pool Photo via AP, File)
FILE - Britain's Kate, Duchess of Cambridge poses for photographers at The Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony, in London, Oct. 17, 2021. The Duchess of Cambridge, who turns 40 on Sunday Jan. 9, 2022, has emerged as Britain’s reliable royal. After Prince Harry and Meghan’s stormy departure to California in 2020, the death of Prince Philip last year, and now sex abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the former Kate Middleton remains in the public eye as the smiling mother of three who can comfort grieving parents at a children's hospice or wow the nation by playing piano during a televised Christmas concert. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt, File)
FILE - Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge stand outside Westminster Abbey after their Royal Wedding in London, April 29, 2011. The Duchess of Cambridge, who turns 40 on Sunday Jan. 9, 2022, has emerged as Britain’s reliable royal. After Prince Harry and Meghan’s stormy departure to California in 2020, the death of Prince Philip last year, and now sex abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the former Kate Middleton remains in the public eye as the smiling mother of three who can comfort grieving parents at a children's hospice or wow the nation by playing piano during a televised Christmas concert. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)
FILE - Britain's Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge and United States Secretary of the Treasury, Steven Mnuchin arrive through the East Gallery ahead of the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace in London, June 3, 2019. The Duchess of Cambridge, who turns 40 on Sunday Jan. 9, 2022, has emerged as Britain’s reliable royal. After Prince Harry and Meghan’s stormy departure to California in 2020, the death of Prince Philip last year, and now sex abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the former Kate Middleton remains in the public eye as the smiling mother of three who can comfort grieving parents at a children's hospice or wow the nation by playing piano during a televised Christmas concert. (Victoria Jones/Pool Photo via AP, File)
FILE - Britain's Prince William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge and their children, Prince Louis, left, Princess Charlotte and Prince George arrive for a special pantomime performance at London's Palladium Theatre, Dec. 11, 2020, hosted by The National Lottery, to thank key workers and their families for their efforts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The Duchess of Cambridge, who turns 40 on Sunday Jan. 9, 2022, has emerged as Britain’s reliable royal. After Prince Harry and Meghan’s stormy departure to California in 2020, the death of Prince Philip last year, and now sex abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the former Kate Middleton remains in the public eye as the smiling mother of three who can comfort grieving parents at a children's hospice or wow the nation by playing piano during a televised Christmas concert. (Aaron Chown/Pool via AP, File)
FILE - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, center, and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, left, react as the Queen prepares to cut a cake as they attend an event in celebration of 'The Big Lunch 'initiative, during the G7 summit in Cornwall, England, June 11, 2021. The Duchess of Cambridge, who turns 40 on Sunday Jan. 9, 2022, has emerged as Britain’s reliable royal. After Prince Harry and Meghan’s stormy departure to California in 2020, the death of Prince Philip last year, and now sex abuse allegations against Prince Andrew, the former Kate Middleton remains in the public eye as the smiling mother of three who can comfort grieving parents at a children's hospice or wow the nation by playing piano during a televised Christmas concert. (Oli Scarff/Pool Photo via AP, File)
