While Princess Kate (44) was recovering from abdominal surgery in early 2024, an employee at the treating London clinic allegedly attempted to access her confidential medical records - and monetize them. The British data protection authority Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has now closed the case, as reported by broadcaster BBC.
A former employee was reportedly warned by the ICO for attempting to obtain and sell the patient records of Prince William's (43) wife. According to reports, the authority launched its criminal investigation in March 2024 after it was reported that an employee of the "London Clinic" had attempted to access her records during Kate's stay there.
Clinic describes incident as isolated case
A spokesperson for the private hospital expressed relief over the conclusion of the case. They were pleased that the cooperation with the ICO had brought this "sad and isolated incident" to an end, the BBC quotes him as saying. There had been no regulatory violations on the hospital's part.
The data protection authority deemed a warning to be an "appropriate and proportionate" response. At the same time, the ICO spoke of deliberate misuse of highly sensitive personal data and an offer to disclose it in exchange for payment, according to the BBC. However, the investigation found no evidence of broader organizational problems in healthcare. According to the "Daily Mirror", the employee was allegedly dismissed following an internal investigation.
"Trust must not be broken"
Ian Hulme, Executive Director for regulatory supervision at the ICO, emphasized the importance of trust between patients and healthcare facilities. People should be able to trust that information disclosed in healthcare settings is secure and protected from exploitation, he said according to the BBC. When this trust is broken, it is right that the law allows for intervention.
The "London Clinic" near Regent's Park in central London describes itself as the largest independent private hospital in Great Britain and is frequently used by members of the Royal Family.
Princess Kate underwent abdominal surgery at the clinic in January 2024 and withdrew from public life during her recovery. Two months later, she disclosed that she was being treated for a cancer diagnosis. At the beginning of 2025, she confirmed being in remission and gradually returned to public engagements.
