Amid this, a new royal biography has revealed a surprising detail from Catherine’s past: an emergency surgery she underwent as a teenager to remove a lump from her head. Aside from experiencing debilitating bouts of morning sickness and stays in the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital to deliver her children, Catherine has fortunately avoided hospitalization for most of her life.
During her time at Marlborough College, Catherine discovered a lump on the side of her head, just under her hairline. The school quickly informed her parents, and her mother, Carole, took her to the hospital where doctors performed surgery to remove the lump. The operation left a 3-inch scar, which became noticeable during Catherine’s first solo engagement over two decades ago. Buckingham Palace issued a brief statement at the time, explaining that the scar was related to a childhood operation.
As Catherine continues to face health challenges, the public’s admiration for her strength and resilience only grows. Her journey, marked by both personal and public challenges, reflects a remarkable ability to confront adversity with grace.
Before joining The Firm, Catherine wisely established some fundamental rules for her future family life with Prince William. She made sure she would have the proper amount of time off to spend as a new mom, as maternity leave was very important to her. Catherine insisted on having her full quota of maternity leave away from the media’s glare and public scrutiny. She emphasized that her priority would be to balance her royal duties with what she values most: a loving marriage and a happy family.
This commitment is evident in their approach to family life. The couple has consistently prioritized their children’s privacy, striving to give them the most normal lives possible away from the royal spotlight. They make time for family vacations whenever they can and have raised their children to attend regular schooling, participate in sports activities, and make their own friends.
It’s no secret that the Princess of Wales has faced challenges during her pregnancies with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. She has openly shared her experience with hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition that causes severe vomiting in early pregnancy. Catherine described it as “utterly rotten,” noting how she was very sick and couldn’t eat properly, yet her body still managed to support the growth of new life.
Like many pregnant women, Catherine had cravings during her three pregnancies and turned to specific remedies to alleviate her nausea. During her first pregnancy, she satisfied her cravings with spicy Indian curry prepared by family and friends from her hometown of Berkshire. Around seven months pregnant, the royal was seen picking up a batch of homemade spicy curry from her family friends, Shan and Hash Shingadia, who run a shop in her village of Upper Bucklebury. The Princess collected the dish from the Peach’s convenience store when visiting her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, at the end of April 2013, coinciding with the weekend of her second wedding anniversary.
Additionally, during her pregnancy with Louis, Catherine is said to have enjoyed thinly sliced pickles on brown toast. The high sodium content of the pickles likely helped counteract the sodium lost from her excessive vomiting.
