Is Kate Middleton Breaking Royal Protocol By Taking Sick Leave?
With her name trending all over social media for disappearing from the public eye, is it possible the Princess of Wales just needs a break?
With many theories circulating around Kate Middleton's sudden disappearance from the public eye, we can't help but think the Princess of Wales has the right to recover from surgery just like every other UK employee. You know, sick leave.
Back in January of this year, Middleton had a planned abdominal surgery and reportedly stayed at The London Clinic for two weeks. However, Kensington Palace stated she will only resume official duties after Easter, in about three weeks' time. There is still much speculation surrounding Middleton's recovery, some people on X (formerly Twitter) suggesting she was in a coma or "too busy growing out hideous curtain bangs." Others found it weird that she was taking such a long time away from the public eye, considering she appeared hours later after giving birth to her three kids in previous years.
Many accused Middleton of lacking work ethic and being lazy, but what if we see her as an employee rather than a celebrity? If a regular UK employees were undergoing the same procedure and had to take time off their duties to recover, chances are that they wouldn't be faced with so much incessant probing. However, because Middleton is expected to always be out in the public eye, people have jumped to the conclusion something else is happening.
The UK's government website states "employees can take time off work if they’re ill. They need to give their employer proof if they’re ill for more than 7 days." A British medical service, Occupational Health, states that "the type of work someone does plays a big role in when they are fit to return to work, especially if there are safety implications for the employee, the rest of your staff and members of the public."
Unlike in the United States, employees in the UK have greater job security, protections, and medical benefits. Perhaps we can all give Middleton the space and time she deserves—whether she is recovering from abdominal surgery, or something else—to recover to good health, just like any ol' UK employee.
