Here's The Explanation Behind The Scar On Kate Middleton’s Face

She’s one of the world’s most photographed women and an undisputed style icon. But somehow, Kate Middleton has managed to keep a significant scar hidden from most of us. Although not visible from all angles, the distinctive mark has nonetheless been spotted by a few eagle-eyed observers. Yet when the palace was approached for an explanation, it was decidedly cagey with its response.

Unlike her sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, Middleton has always managed to avoid controversy. Her fashion sense has never been anything less than perfect. Except for the time she donned one particularly risqué outfit that did create quite the stir. In a good way though, as it was that very outfit that reportedly drew the attentions of her future husband, Prince William.

You see, the couple became friends back in 2001 when they met at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. At the time, Middleton was dating fellow student Rupert Finch, so nothing romantic happened between them. But rumor has it, the Duke of Cambridge saw his future wife in a different light — literally — after watching her model a see-through, black mesh number on the runway at a fundraising event.

Royal expert Katie Nicholl, in the 2011 documentary, When Kate Met William: A Tale Of Two Lives, said, “He suddenly noticed that this rather cute and charming girl who he’d gotten to know over lectures and breakfast was actually a real hotty.” And clothing designer Charlotte Todd, who created the infamous dress, has suggested that Middleton had secretly known the effect it would have on the prince.

 “It shows confidence to show your underwear in front of people, and knowing that a prince is there as well, I think that she may have known what she was doing,” said Todd. Well, it sure worked, as Nicholl — in her 2011 book The Making Of A Royal Romance, wrote that Prince William had told friends after the show, “Wow, Kate’s hot!”

Middleton’s saucy garment has since sold at auction for a jaw-dropping $106,000. Which proves the sort of value that anything associated with the duchess commands. Not to mention the fact that it arguably started the Cambridge’s love story. It didn’t immediately get off the ground, as Middleton spurned the duke’s advances at first. But when her relationship with Finch fell apart in 2002, the way was left clear for Prince William to make his move.

As we all know, the Cambridges’ relationship has gone from strength to strength since their 2010 engagement and elaborate wedding the following year. The royal couple have of course also welcomed three children: Prince George in 2013, followed by Princess Charlotte two years later, then Prince Louis in 2018. Yet despite the media spotlight being fixed permanently on the family, no one noticed the scar that Middleton had been hiding for some time.

These days of course, we think the Royal Family would have a lot to say if the Duchess of Cambridge exhibited herself in a see-through dress! But that’s highly unlikely, as Middleton favors a considerably more demure, classic wardrobe these days. Her signature style is designer dress coats and occasional playful prints with bursts of color. And of course, the odd evening showstopper. In other words, she dresses much like her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.

The highly successful mother-of-three has been wowing us with her fashion sense since she first officially stepped on to the world’s stage at her wedding to William. Over 20 million people worldwide watched in April 2011, as the royal bride arrived at London’s Westminster Abbey, wearing a dress that would become iconic.

Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen designed the stunning creation with lots of input from the duchess. It had all the hallmarks of Middleton’s contemporary classic style, with the palace revealing in a wedding-day statement, “Miss Middleton wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterizes Alexander McQueen’s work.”

The lace detailing on the bride’s dress was something to behold and gave the royal gown a vintage look. Which, as it turns out, was very much intentional as Middleton’s dress was inspired by Victorian clothing. In the style of the era’s corsetry, the duchess’ dress curved inwards at the waist and was padded below the bodice. Middleton’s veil measured almost nine feet in length — wowzers! — while her Cartier tiara was borrowed from the Queen herself!

Although her wedding dress is undoubtedly Middleton’s most memorable, it’s certainly not the only jaw-dropping gown we’ve seen her wear. Not long after their big day, Prince William and his new wife attended the 2011 Kensington Palace gala, where Middleton wowed in a figure-hugging pink dress with shimmering silver detail. Jenny Packham, one of the duchess’ favorite designers, was behind the dreamy creation.

And Packham designed another sparkling showstopper: the caped golden gown that Middleton stepped out in for the No Time to Die premiere in September 2021. Not only was the royal rivaling any Bond girl in her gorgeous get-up, but the outfit was apparently also an homage to Princess Diana. You see, the duchess’ mother-in-law wore an equally high-glamor silver dress to the premiere of another Bond movie, View to a Kill, in 1985.

But of course one can’t be always flouncing about in one’s finest! And Middleton has shown that she can rock dressed-down, outdoor chic too. She’s been known to pop on a puffer jacket in the chilly weather. And in an olive green coat, cozy knit sweater, and brown leather riding boots, the royal looked like the stylish girl next door during a visit to a farm in April 2021. 

One of our favorite looks on the duchess is an elegant day dress that treads the line perfectly between conservative and glamorous. Take the royal blue collared dress that Middleton wore for Prince Charles’ 70th birthday portraits. With its playful polka dot print, the Alessandra Rich design once again channels Princess Diana’s style, but is just the right amount of formal. We love!

Then there’s the classic dress coat that the duchess wears so well. It’s the perfect outer layer for any formal occasion. And let’s face it, she needs something suitably warm in the famously unpredictable British weather! We particularly like the striking, emerald green military coat — complete with matching hat — that Middleton so aptly chose for the Irish Guard St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 2017.

Although she favors the formal look — kind of a requirement for a royal — Middleton does have a little fun with her style from time to time. The duchess donned a white outfit with red statement earrings — the colors of the England flag — to support her nation’s soccer team during the 2021 European Championships. Middleton was joined at the game by hubby Prince William and their eldest son, Prince George.

There’s no doubt that young Prince George is the image of his father. But the Cambridges’ middle child, Princess Charlotte, definitely takes after her mom with her long brunette locks. We think all three of the Cambridge children are adorable and love it when they get papped behaving like typical young kids — throwing tantrums and mugging for the camera!

Even though they’re all under 10, the junior royals are already becoming mini style icons too. Clothing that they’re snapped wearing sells out in record time. Take, for example, the cute Ralph Lauren woolen sweater that Princess Charlotte wore for the family’s 2020 Christmas card. That one sold out before you could say “Happy Holidays!”

The folks at Ralph Lauren must be rubbing their hands with glee, as a similar thing happened when Prince George wore one of the brand’s striped cashmere sweaters to a 2020 pantomime. People couldn’t buy it fast enough. Meanwhile little Prince Louis was looking cute as a button at the event in a royal blue Amaia jacket. We bet that one jumped off the shelves too!

Some times when something — or someone — seems a little too perfect, it’s kind of reassuring when we notice their mistakes or imperfections. As most of us worry about our weight or blemishes, it makes the royals seem more human somehow, when they’re less than perfect. Take Middleton’s scar, for example. Or the fact that even the usually fashion-flawless duchess occasionally makes some flubs.

Anyone accustomed to wearing heels can probably relate to this awkward moment… You’re walking along minding your business when, uh-oh, your shoe gets stuck in the paving or down a grate. Then follows the embarrassment of having to yank the darned thing free. Which is precisely what happened to Middleton during the 2013 St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Kudos to the royal for casually laughing it off though!

Ladies, we’ve all been there — you’re doing your best to look elegant and sophisticated in a dress when, whoosh! A sudden gale turns your outfit into a windsock and threatens to reveal your underwear to all in company. Or, for a royal, the world! That exact predicament occurred for Middleton when she was wearing a rather gorgeous fuchsia number to Princess Eugenie’s wedding in 2018. But once again, the duchess gamefully laughed it off!

Okay, this one’s not quite so embarrassing but awkward nonetheless. For a fashion icon such as Middleton, it isn’t ideal to turn up to an event wearing the same thing as another attendee. But that’s exactly what happened to the royal at a 2014 wedding that she went to with her husband and Prince Harry. Imagine the “oh dear” moment when she spotted another guest wearing the very same woolen Missoni coat. Eek!

Now this is something that we’ve seen happen to many a celeb, but you wouldn’t expect it of the fashion-flawless royal. Middleton stepped out at a London gala in 2014, wearing an elegant black Temperly London dress. Nothing wrong with that. But the duchess was wearing a pale-colored bra that became visible in the flashbulb light from the assembled paparazzi. Oh the embarrassment!

So how is it that, for a family under such close public scrutiny, we’ve missed some pretty significant physical details about the Cambridges? Like the fact that Prince William has a fairly noticeable Harry Potter-style scar on his forehead? That’s right! Just like the famed young wizard, Prince Charles’ eldest son has a distinctive facial scar. And the story behind it is kind of surprising.

Unlike his wife, who won’t publicly discuss her scar, the Duke of Cambridge openly chatted about how he got the mark, during a 2009 interview. Prince William was talking to Alice, a young cancer patient and budding journalist, for British kids’ TV show Newsround. Could we just say “aw” there? Anyway, during the interview, William actually pointed out the blemish and called it “my Harry Potter scar.”

The royal added, “I call it that because it glows sometimes, and some people notice it — other times they don't notice it at all.” By “glows sometimes,” the duke explained, he meant that at times the mark had become more apparent — for example when he’s been a little flushed after exercise. We like William’s way of making the explanation relatable for kids!

The royal went on to explain how he got the blemish. “I got hit by a golf club when I was playing golf with a friend of mine,” said Prince William. He went on, “Yeah, we were on a putting green, and the next thing you know there was a seven-iron, and it came out of nowhere and it hit me in the head.” Oh dear — we’re betting said friend feels pretty bad about that!

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are clearly a perfect match. And it’s kind of a spooky coincidence that they both have head scars. Middleton has been considerably less outspoken than her husband on the subject though. In fact, it wasn’t until her first royal engagement without William that the duchess’ sizeable mark was spotted.

The scar, by the way, is about three inches long and sits just behind her hairline. On this particular occasion in 2011, the royal was looking her usual stunning self in a floor-length, silver Amanda Wakeley gown. Her elegant half-up, half-down hairstyle, though, revealed the prominent mark next to her left temple that had been previously hidden.

Middleton had stepped in as the royal host for a private charity dinner at Clarence House in London. The Prince of Wales, who helped to establish the Kind Direct charity in 1996, had asked his daughter to fill in for him after he was called away on urgent royal business. Charles had felt compelled to visit the Saudi Royal Family and offer his condolences after the passing of the Crown Prince.

A spokesperson for the palace said, “The Duchess of Cambridge was delighted to be able to step in for her father-in-law, The Prince of Wales.” Middleton apparently even contacted her mom, Carole Middleton, to ask if the affluent family business Party Pieces might be able to donate any stock to the charity. Kind Direct distributes surplus retail products to other U.K. charities.

And that’s how come the duchess was photographed for the first time with her head scar clearly visible. But a royal spokesperson was strangely evasive when approached for comment. All that the St. James’ Palace representative would reveal was that the mark was “related to a childhood operation.” When pressed to elaborate, they refused. Hmm.

Palace sources were prepared to say that the childhood surgery had been “a very serious operation.” But declined to say any more, on the grounds that it was a private matter. Which is all a little intriguing… What could this “serious operation” be? Well, the Daily Mail newspaper approached a consultant surgeon from London’s Lister Hospital for his view.

The top doc, John Scurr, explained that the scar probably wasn’t from surgery on a tumor. In fact, it was more likely to be something much less sinister. “I really doubt it was any serious medical condition,” said Scurr. The surgeon continued, “I would say it is as a result of an arteriovenous malformation — a birthmark — being removed.” He added, “It is remarkable, given the measurement, that no one has noticed before.” Indeed.

But the Cambridges aren’t the only royals with prominent scars that you might not have known about. Princess Eugenie has spoken quite openly about having surgery to fix a curvature of her spine caused by scoliosis. In fact, she made the bold choice to wear a dress that revealed her scar when she married Jack Brooksbank in 2018.

In a commentary for her dress exhibition, the princess explained, “I had always wanted a low back, part of it was showing my scar and I believe scars tell a story about your past and your future and it’s a way of getting rid of a taboo.” Eugenie was diagnosed with the spinal condition when she was 12 years old and had to undergo a grueling corrective procedure involving the insertion of metal rods in her back.

After the royal proudly displayed the scar on her wedding day, the response from fellow scoliosis sufferers had been quite moving, she said in the commentary. Eugenie recalled, “We started getting a lot of letters from people who were happy that I had stood up and showed my scar, and people with scoliosis, letters from girls that are going through the same thing, and I definitely was very touched by everyone’s support.” 

And Prince Charles, too, seems to be keeping something about his health under wraps — although, it's harder to hide than a little scar. The prince has certainly been on a bit of a rollercoaster ride recently. After suffering the loss of his father, Prince Philip, he may finally have smiled again at the arrival of Lilibet Diana. And all eyes are on the prince as fans and the media see how he’s coping. Take a closer look at photos of Charles, though, and you’ll see an alarming detail. It even seems as though the future king may be struggling with a worrying health condition.

Philip’s funeral was a chance for the royals to meet up again as a family. Everyone’s aware of what a stressful year 2020 was for them. There was the global pandemic obviously, but it was also that year when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Charles’ son and daughter-in-law, stepped down from the royal family.

The exit caused absolute chaos – and it can’t have been good for Charles’ health. Newspaper stories immediately claimed that Harry and Meghan hadn’t even told the Queen they were leaving – accusations Harry later denied. Oh, and apparently Harry’s closest relatives, his father and brother, were furious with him. Again, not the best situation for a man with any health condition.

A royal source told The Sun at the time, “The queen is deeply upset. The Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge are incandescent with rage. Courtiers can’t believe it. There are so many unanswered questions, but they’ve just up and done it without a thought for anyone else. The plan was there to discuss it and work out a way that works for everyone in the family.” Could the stress of this mess have affected Charles?

Harry confirmed that his relationship with his father was strained to say the least. When he and Meghan gave a supposedly “tell-all” interview to Oprah, he said that Charles had stopped taking his calls. The prince added, “It’s really sad that it’s gotten to this point.”

The prince also claimed that Charles had cut him off financially, meaning he had to pay for security arrangements himself. However, an “ally of Charles” denied this via the Evening Standard newspaper, saying, “For Harry to say he feels ‘let down’ seems a little rich when you consider what he has done.” Harsh! But possibly fair if it was all taking a toll on Charles’ health.

Not only that, though, but Meghan claimed in the Oprah interview that there had been comments about the skin color of her then-unborn first child, Archie. She claimed that there had been “concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born.” Harry concurred with the claim but said he wouldn’t reveal who’d allegedly said such things.

The media speculated wildly about which member of the royal family had perhaps made the racial remarks. Oprah herself clarified that she had been told a little more, and it wasn’t the Queen or Philip, for sure. Could it have been Charles? Harry simply wasn’t saying.

In the weeks after the interview, royal fans had to rely on insiders and experts to understand where the Harry-Charles relationship stood. One of these, Katie Nicholl, told Entertainment Tonight, “Prince Charles did want to issue a more detailed statement [in response] to the Oprah interview and possibly address some of those issues point by point.”

Nicholl went on, “Prince Charles was particularly frustrated by the suggestion that financially he just cut the couple off, when if you speak to sources in Charles’ camp, that wasn’t the case. He did continue funding them for quite some time after they moved first to Canada and then to America.” So, what was the truth?

Well, the actual statement released by the royal family after the Oprah interview was a more neutral one. It read, “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”

And then came another misfortune. Philip passed away on April 9, the cause of his death being simply old age. Harry and Meghan were asleep at their California home when the Palace attempted to notify them, as it was 3:00 a.m. Pacific time.

So a representative of the U.S. Embassy called up the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department and requested an officer drive to Harry’s home. The officer told a staff member there to relay a message to the prince that he needed to call the Embassy. But the Palace has never confirmed whether that story was true or not.

Harry and Meghan quickly had their website updated to feature a tribute to Philip. It read, “Thank you for your service. You will be greatly missed.” Then news spread that Harry would attend the funeral, but Meghan couldn’t fly out to Britain because she was heavily pregnant. 

Attending the funeral meant Harry meeting up with his father and brother again in person, so everyone was anticipating what might happen. And as soon as the service started, cameras were in place snapping every single interaction between the royals. It was thanks to those photographers that so many noticed the worrying detail about Charles.

Harry had apparently attempted to patch things up to some extent before returning to Britain and his family. An anonymous source told The Mirror on April 19, “Truth be told, Harry didn’t really know what to expect before he came home, which is why he reached out before seeing everyone.”

The source went on, “He wrote a deeply personal note to his dad to try and set things straight, but tensions are still running high and things haven’t exactly ironed out the way he had hoped. There had been a kind of unspoken agreement between everyone to park whatever has been on each person’s mind and solely concentrate on supporting the Queen ahead of Prince Philip’s funeral.”

And the source also had something to say about after the funeral. They claimed, “Harry didn’t expect everything to be completely back to normal, but his feeling after seeing his family was there is a lot of ground to make up.” Could it also be the case, though, that his father’s health was another complication?

When royal fans saw Charles at Philip’s funeral, eyebrows were certainly raised. It was hard not to notice something standing out about the elderly royal. His hands, especially his fingers, appeared red and bloated. Whatever was causing this, it seemed like a painful condition.

And this isn’t the first time the prince has been spotted with swelling. Back in 2019 Charles visited India, and fans noticed how much his hands and also his feet were swollen. In that case he’d just spent nine hours on a plane, which could very much have exacerbated the condition.

What medical issue does Charles have? Folks are eager to know. According to the website Keyword Tool, every month 33,000 people search for the term “Prince Charles fingers.” And that figure increased after some of Charles’ public appearances in 2021, where the condition seemed even more visible.

Towards the end of May 2021 Charles visited a pub and was given some local beers to taste. Photographs naturally focused on his hands holding the mug, and it was clear that something was wrong with his fingers. So Twitter users speculated on what it might be.

In amongst comments about Charles’ fingers being “absolute sausage units,” fans on the social media site traded their theories. One person questioned, “Does the Prince of Wales have rheumatoid arthritis of the hands?” And another claimed, “He’s got severe water retention. It’s been an ongoing issue for two years.”

But this remains speculation for now, as Charles has never actually spoken about any health issues he may have. It is, however, clear that old age is starting to catch up with him – he’s in his 70s now – and that’s something he has, in fact, mentioned in public. 

In April 2018 Charles delivered a funny speech while touring Brisbane, Australia. He joked that for no longer would he be able to “squeeze into a pair of budgie smugglers,” and added, “I don’t know about you, ladies and gentlemen, but now bits of me keep falling off at regular intervals.”

Charles’ age has been a much-discussed topic for a while now. Currently he’s the longest-serving heir apparent in the whole of recorded British history and the longest-serving Prince of Wales. And when the time comes for him to be crowned, he’ll also be the oldest king of Britain to date.

Will Charles even make it to the throne, then? And would it be a good idea if he does? In 2021 royal expert Clive Irving told Vanity Fair, “One problem is that he doesn’t look like an invigorating generational shift, does he? That’s what would be needed – something that reinvigorates and sends a sense that [the royal family have] understood the modern world.”

Charles’ nearest and dearest may also not want him to be king. In 2021 royal biographer Penny Junor told Woman and Home that she believed Camilla was feeling “dread” over the prospect of Charles’ ascension. Some of that, however, may have been fear of becoming Queen Consort herself.

Junor wrote, “Friends and family know it is not something [Camilla] wants – she has said as much. She is in this position because of her love of the man, not because of her desire to be anything more than a support to him. The whole business of his accession is something she dreads and, in her inimitable way, is choosing not to think about.”

Harry surely must have some feelings there too, right? Well, if he’s ever commented on specifically his father’s suitability for the throne, we don’t know about it. But in 2017 he told Newsweek, “Is there any one of the royal family who wants to be king or queen? I don’t think so, but we will carry out our duties at the right time.”

Although Charles hasn’t revealed the reason for his swollen hands, the photographs of him did spark a rise in awareness for the particular medical problem that might be responsible. Plus the media published some advice about what a person could do to improve the pain of swollen hands and feet.

The U.K.’s National Health Service recommends massage, gentle exercise and drinking plenty of water to bring down swellings. But it also points out that although the cause might be something benign, like eating too much salty food, it may also be a sign of a more serious long-term health problem.

You see, the condition nicknamed “sausage fingers” is usually caused by the immune system disease psoriatic arthritis, which unfortunately can get worse as a person grows older. But if it’s caught early and given the appropriate treatment, it can be slowed down and prevented from causing permanent problems with the joints.

We can safely assume that Charles receives the finest medical treatment available, though. As the heir to the throne, he’s entitled to have a doctor go with him whenever he flies overseas on a tour. And he even travels with his own packs of blood in case he should need an emergency transfusion.

Charles could also get Camilla to help. She has connections, you see, to the charity Versus Arthritis. The Duchess of Cornwall is patron of the organization and has been since 2012. The official website for the charity notes that she is “a tireless advocate for better musculoskeletal health” and says that staff have been “honored by the Duchess’ support.” How handy!