Kate Carried Out An Engagement In Secret During Her Maternity Leave

Kate Middleton is expected to return to her royal responsibilities in the next few weeks.

The Duchess of Cambridge has carried out a private engagement at Kensington Palace, which signals that the Duchess is ready to return to work. Kate is currently still officially on maternity leave, however, that didn’t stop her from being there to say a formal goodbye to Prince William’s private secretary Miguel Head, who was stepping down from his position after ten years.

According to the Court Circular, the couple met with Miguel on Wednesday afternoon after he relinquished his position as the Duke’s private secretary. The meeting was a private one, which is the reason why there are no photos of William, Kate and Miguel.

Miguel’s resignation was announced in March, with a spokesperson for Prince William saying: “His Royal Highness feels incredibly lucky to have benefited from Miguel’s advice and support over the last decade. He has been an outstanding press secretary and private secretary and has been central to the decisions that have guided the establishment of the Duke’s office. He has also been a valued adviser during an important period in His Royal Highness’s life. He wishes Miguel all the very best for the future.”

At the same when the announcement was released, ITV Royal Editor Chris Ship also revealed that Miguel had his civil partnership update with Islington council. The tweet read: “Prince William’s Private Secretary Miguel Head had a busy day yesterday: 1. He announced his departure from the job 2. He also got married! Miguel had his long-standing civil partnership ‘updated’.”

Kensington Palace has also released a statement that confirms that Simon Case, a civil servant who previously worked in the Department for Exiting the European Union, will be the one to replace Miguel. A private secretary is the most senior appointment in William and Kate’s team, and Simon will have overall responsibility for the management of the household.  He will be the one in charge of organizing William’s diary and will be the one to accompany him on official engagements and on any upcoming tours.

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