Kate’s scheduled return to royal duties on a set date may help soothe the fears of many who have interpreted the general dearth of information since the future Queen’s operation as a negative sign.

In recent weeks, there has been a lot of conjecture around the potential that Kate’s condition is worse than the Palace has disclosed. In an attempt to reassure the public that Kate was “doing well,” the Palace itself was compelled to release a statement restating its earlier assertions that all is OK with her recuperation.

Nevertheless, the general dearth of public knowledge has left a void where speculation frequently spreads like wildfire.

The fact that the Princess of Wales had not been spotted in person or on camera since Christmas did not assist the situation much. That is, until yesterday, when Kate was photographed sitting in a car outside of Windsor Castle with her mother, Carol Middleton.

With the photo, Kate was seen for the first time in seventy days. Even while the Royal Family has been trying to convince royal admirers over the past week that the Princess is only recovering on her own terms, away from the flashing of cameras, this has led to a new round of wild speculation.