'It's total nonsense': Palace's fury over Spanish show's 'lies' that Kate was in 'coma' and in 'great danger' after Princess of Wales surgery

Palace officials are said to have been left furious after a Spanish news show's 'fabricated' claims that Kate was in a 'coma' and in 'great danger' after abdominal surgery.

Foreign journalist Concha Calleja claimed doctors had to act quickly because they were 'saving her life' in a broadcast the day before she was discharged from hospital

The 59-year-old writer, who has appeared on Spanish television as a royal expert, said the medical team's “drastic” actions included intubating the 42-year-old Princess of Wales and putting her in an induced coma.

She claimed: 'There were serious complications that they didn't expect because the surgery went well, but the post-operative period didn't go so well.'

She went on to say that Kate's recovery “might require some help, and I'm not just talking about her family” – as she said, “there was practically a whole hospital” set up to support her at their Windsor home.

But the Spaniard's claims – made on news channel Fiesta – have been rejected by the palace.

“It's total nonsense,” a source told The Telegraph. “There was no attempt whatsoever by that journalist to fact-check anything she said to anyone in the household.

“It's basically made up, and I'll use polite English here: That's absolutely not the case.”

Fiesta has been the most watched channel in Spain for thirteen years and is known for its gossip shows. It was founded by an Italian media company previously owned by Silvio Berlusconi.

The claims about the Princess of Wales quickly went viral – and were even picked up by the country's more serious sites, including El Confidencial, La Vanguardia and La Razon.

Calleja claimed to have obtained the insight from a member of the royal household 'in a completely confidential manner' – something the Palace has completely refuted.

They also strongly denied her claims that Kate was first taken to hospital on December 28, where she stayed for several days, saying she 'started to feel unwell, not for the first time'.

Kate Middleton returned home early this week after a two-week stay in hospital following abdominal surgery – with flowers and a gift bag left by well-wishers driven back to Windsor by a royal aide.

She attended the London Clinic a fortnight earlier on Tuesday, January 16 – with royal sources saying she was 'making good progress' and would now continue her recovery from home.

MailOnline understands her return to official duties will be subject to medical advice closer to the time, and William will return to public engagements once she is settled.

The Princess of Wales was discharged from hospital just hours before King Charles also left the London Clinic after a three-day stay to recover from prostate surgery. The beaming image was seen as he left the clinic with Queen Camilla by his side.

Charles visited Kate last Friday morning before his operation and has also been visited four times by his wife, Queen Camilla, at the hospital in Marylebone.

Kate, who Kensington Palace says is 'doing well', left the London Clinic in Marylebone yesterday morning after being admitted for surgery on January 16.

The Mail revealed on Monday that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were not taken to visit their mother in hospital after she underwent 'abdominal surgery'.

As her children would have been at school when she returned, they would probably not have seen her for the first time until they returned to Adelaide Cottage from Lambrook School, a ten-minute drive away, later in the afternoon.

It will almost certainly be the longest period the princess has been away from them.

William and Kate have both prioritized their children above all else, arranging arrangements so that at least one of them can do the school run where possible.

They have also made sure that foreign trips are shorter so that they can be home on weekends, with the only exception being their trip to the Caribbean in 2022.

It is understood that Prince William, who cleared his diary so he could be by his wife's side all the time, was in hospital when she was discharged and likely drove her home.

In a statement, a Kensington Palace spokesperson said: 'The Princess of Wales has returned to Windsor to continue her recovery from surgery. She is making good progress.

'The Prince and Princess would like to thank the entire team at The London Clinic, and especially the dedicated nursing staff, for the care they provided.

'The Wales family remains grateful for the well wishes they have received.'

Charles left the London Clinic in Marylebone today with Queen Camilla at his side after three nights of observation.

The 75-year-old monarch was admitted around 9am last Friday morning as he underwent a corrective procedure for the benign condition.

The road had been cleared, but a large crowd of children and onlookers had gathered to watch as they got into a waiting car.

There was a strong presence of uniformed police officers standing guard as the royal couple were driven away.

It has been reported that Charles could take up to a month off from public duties while he recovers.

The King was visited twice by Queen Camilla yesterday, the third and fourth time she has visited him since their arrival at the private hospital.