Authorities have been requested to investigate allegations that a staff member potentially tried to view the private medical files of Princess Catherine during her hospital stay for abdominal surgery, as stated by a government official on Wednesday.
According to a report in The Daily Mirror, there was an attempt to gain unauthorized access to confidential data at The London Clinic, a private healthcare facility.
Catherine, also recognized as Kate, and married to Prince William, the future heir to the throne, spent a two-week stay in January at the location.
Further information regarding her health status has not been disclosed; however, her Kensington Palace office has mentioned that her condition is not cancer-related, and she prefers to keep her medical details confidential.
Health Minister Maria Caulfield stated that the guidelines pertaining to patient information access were “extremely explicit.”
“Except when you’re attending to that patient or have their permission, you must not access their medical records,” she mentioned during her LBC radio interview. “As far as I know, the police have been requested to examine this issue.”
According to a statement from London’s Metropolitan Police, they currently have no knowledge of any referrals concerning the issue. Meanwhile, the UK’s data protection authority has announced their intention to investigate the situation.
Late on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) announced, “We have received a breach report, and we are currently evaluating the given information.”
The CEO of The London Clinic stated that they will take all necessary investigative, regulatory, and disciplinary actions concerning the alleged data breaches. Last week, Catherine faced controversy when she admitted to altering an official portrait, featuring her and her three children, which was released by Buckingham Palace on Mother’s Day.
This statement further fueled online conjecture concerning her well-being and location, as she had not made a public appearance since attending a church service on Christmas Day. In January, the palace announced that she needed an extended recovery period and would not resume her royal responsibilities until at least April.
Rather than alleviating concerns about her health, the altered image fueled speculations, causing the media to hurriedly seek the picture.
Catherine issued an apology, yet she faced backlash even from her typically supportive media outlets. It has been reported by the British media that Catherine’s return to public engagements is not expected until mid-April.
