A year to test any family

Months of turmoil at the heart of monarchy

- MARTIN FRICKER

IT WAS an overcast, chilly Monday morning when the world last saw the Princess of Wales at an official royal engagement.

Wearing an electric blue anklelength coat and matching hat, Kate greeted well-wishers outside church in Sandringham.

Clutching the hand of her daughter Princess Charlotte, she smiled for the cameras on the royals' traditional Christmas walk.

Joined by the Prince of Wales and their other children, Prince George and Prince Louis, they looked the epitome of a happy family. Yet unbeknown to most people on that crisp Christmas Day, it would be the last time we would see the future Queen for nearly three months.

Just over three weeks after that appearance at church, Kensington Palace revealed she had undergone planned abdominal surgery.

The announcement came a day after she was taken away from prying eyes to The London Clinic in Marylebone, central London.

Officials insisted her condition was "non-cancerous".

Their hope was to dampen the speculation but, in the age of social media, that was always going to be wishful thinking. Kate and William dropped plans to visit troops abroad and postponed their first official trip to Italy this spring.

Officials said she would not return to royal duties until after Easter at the earliest and asked for privacy.

A statement said: "The Princess wishes to apologise to all those concerned for the fact she has to postpone upcoming engagements.