Kate Middleton's Medical Records Possibly Illegally Accessed By Hospital Staff Where She Had Surgery: Reports

Kate Middleton may have been the victim of an alleged security breach amid speculation surrounding her health and whereabouts, according to a new report.

British tabloid newspaper The Mirror reported this week that staff at the London Clinic, where the Princess of Wales underwent abdominal surgery in January, allegedly tried to access her medical records.

In a statement obtained by E! News and NBC News Wednesday, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said it has launched an investigation into a "breach report" it received.

The U.K. data watchdog was "assessing the information provided," according to the statement.

No other detail was disclosed by the ICO regarding the ongoing probe.

PA news agency reported that the medical records of King Charles III, who underwent a procedure to treat an enlarged prostate at the London Clinic in January, were not accessed during the alleged data breach.

In response to the allegations and probe, Kensington Palace said in a statement to E! News, "This is a matter for the London Clinic."

London Clinic chief executive Al Russell also addressed the matter, saying in a statement to NBC that the hospital's entire staff is "acutely aware of our individual, professional, ethical and legal duties with regards to patient confidentiality."

Russell suggested that the hospital would be conducting an internal investigation into the matter.

"In the case of any breach, all appropriate investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken. There is no place at our hospital for those who intentionally breach the trust of any of our patients or colleagues," he added.

A 2021 report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said that though patient records were "stored securely" at the London Clinic, doctors and nurses could easily access them, the New York Post reported.

The CQC, which regulates and inspects health and social care providers in England, said the hospital's staff treated patients with compassion, care, dignity and respect.

The CQC conducted an inspection of the London Clinic after receiving information that sparked "concerns about the safety and quality of services" at the hospital, according to the Post.

The concerns reportedly stemmed from alleged "serious incidents and numerous whistleblowers around staffing and culture," the report said.

News of the breach report comes as rumors and theories continue to swirl over Middleton's well-being and whereabouts following her nearly three-month absence from royal duties.

Kensington Palace announced on Jan. 17 that Prince William's wife underwent a "planned" abdominal surgery. Officials did not specify what surgery it was but said it was not cancer-related.

Palace officials also said at the time that Middleton was not expected to return to public duties until after Easter.

Middleton spent nearly two weeks at the London Clinic before returning home to continue her recovery.

The lack of photos, videos and updates eventually triggered royal watchers and social media users to come up with their own theories regarding why Middleton had not been seen in public months after her surgery.

A photo shared on the Prince and Princess of Wales' official account on X, formerly Twitter, on March 10 only fueled the speculation after major photo agencies pulled it due to manipulation concerns.

Middleton later apologized for the confusion the image caused, admitting that she "occasionally" experiments with editing.

Then, earlier this week, TMZ published a video reportedly showing Middleton and Prince William on an outing near their home in Windsor last Saturday. Enstarz could not independently verify the authenticity of the clip.

Despite TMZ's assurance that the video was "legitimate" and definitely depicted Princess Kate, many social media users and royal fans remained unconvinced.