CBS News
U.K. authorities probe possible Princess Kate medical record breach as royals slog through photo scandal
London — A video clip of Catherine, the Princess of Wales, shopping with her husband Prince William, emerged this week but has failed to quash speculation about Kate’s health. Interest is so high, it would seem, that it may have led a London clinic worker to break the law in an effort to obtain Kate’s personal medical information.
A British newspaper reported Wednesday that at least one person had tried to access Kate’s medical records at the private, upmarket London Clinic, where she underwent unspecified abdominal surgery in January.
A government watchdog agency, the Information Commissioner’s Office, confirmed that it had “received a breach report” and was in the process of “assessing the information provided.”
In a statement sent to CBS News, the London Clinic’s CEO Al Russell said all of the facility’s staff were “acutely aware of our individual, professional, ethical and legal duties with regards to patient confidentiality. We take enormous pride in the outstanding care and discretion we aim to deliver for all our patients that put their trust in us every day.”
Russell said the London Clinic had “systems in place to monitor management of patient information and, in the case of any breach, all appropriate investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken,” adding: “There is no place at our hospital for those who intentionally breach the trust of any of our patients or colleagues.”
British health minister Maria Caulfield told the Sky News television network that London police had “been asked to look at” whether any clinic staff members had, in fact, attempted to access Kate’s private medical records.
Caulfield said in a separate interview with the LBC radio network that the information commissioner’s office could also lead prosecutions, and added that there were “particularly hefty implications if you are looking at notes for medical records that you should not be looking at.”
Kensington Palace said from the beginning that it would not be providing updates on Kate’s recovery from her surgery, offering only that she’s expected to return to her royal duties after Easter.
But after the palace said it would provide no updates, interest soared when the princess was shown in a British Mother’s Day image with her three children. Several leading global photo agencies recalled the picture after noticing some inconsistencies.
That prompted the palace to release an apology, credited to Kate, who said that “like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.”
The acknowledgement led to scrutiny of other images presented to the public by Kate and William and, this week, a second one, initially shared by the royals in 2023, fell under suspicion. The image depicting a warm family moment with the late Queen Elizabeth II, surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, was said to have been snapped at the royals’ Balmoral Castle retreat in Scotland, in August 2022.
But CBS News and many other outlets found discrepancies in that image, too, including misalignments on patterns in the late queen’s tartan skirt and the sofa they were all sat on, and some black or blurry patches around some of the children’s heads.
Getty Images added a note on the photo in its server, labelling it as “digitally enhance at source.”
The Princess of Wales’ father-in-law King Charles III is still largely out of the public eye as he undergoes cancer treatment, but the rest of the senior royals have tried to maintain business as usual. That includes Prince William, who visited a homeless project in the north of England on Tuesday.
On London’s streets, meanwhile, most people who spoke to CBS News seemed to sympathize with Kate and her family’s appeal for privacy.
“I think they need to leave her alone – I think her health is her own business,” said Londoner Paul Hunt.
“I think she gets a lot of stick, and everyone should just leave her alone. If she’s been poorly, then she’s been poorly,” said Sally Cannon as she made her way to work.
“We need to respect that she’s a human being as well as part of the monarchy,” said another resident, Michelle Hanafi.
NEW YORK — Former New York Gov. David Paterson and his stepson were attacked in New York City on Friday night, authorities said.
The incident occurred just before 9 p.m. on Second Avenue near East 96th Street on the Upper East Side, according to the New York City Police Department.
Police said officers were sent to the scene after an assault was reported. When officers arrived, police say they found a 20-year-old man suffering from facial injuries and a 70-year-old man who had head pain. Both victims were taken to a local hospital in stable condition.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the former governor said the two were attacked while “taking a walk around the block near their home by some individuals that had a previous interaction with his stepson.”
The spokesperson said that they were injured “but were able to fight off their attackers.”
Both were taken to Cornell Hospital “as a precaution,” he added.
Police said no arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.
The 70-year-old Paterson, a Democrat, served as governor from 2008 to 2010, stepping into the post after the resignation of Eliot Spitzer following his prostitution scandal. He made history at the time as the state’s first-ever Black and legally blind governor.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
A 17-year-old boy was critically injured and a person is in custody after a gunman opened fire on a SEPTA bus in North Philadelphia Friday evening, police said.
At around 6:15 p.m., Philadelphia police were notified about a shooting on a SEPTA bus traveling on Allegheny Avenue near 3rd and 4th streets in North Philadelphia, Inspector D F Pace told CBS News Philadelphia.
There were an estimated 30 people on the bus at the time of the shooting, Pace said, but only the 17-year-old boy was believed to have been shot. Investigators said they believe it was a targeted attack on the teenager and that he was shot in the back of the bus at close range.
According to Pace, the SEPTA bus driver alerted a control center about the shooting, which then relayed the message to Philadelphia police, who responded to the scene shortly.
Officers arrived at the scene and found at least one spent shell casing and blood on the bus, but no shooting victim, Pace said. Investigators later discovered the 17-year-old had been taken to Temple University Hospital where he is said to be in critical condition, according to police.
CBS Philadelphia
Through their preliminary investigation, police learned those involved in the SEPTA shooting may have fled in a silver-colored Kia.
Authorities then found a car matching the description of the Kia speeding in the area and a pursuit began, Pace said. Police got help from a PPD helicopter as they followed the Kia, which ended up crashing at 5th and Greenwood streets in East Mount Airy. Pace said the Kia crashed into a parked car.
The driver of the crashed car ran away but police were still able to take them into custody, Pace said.
Investigators believe there was a second person involved in the shooting who ran from the car before it crashed. Police said they believe this person escaped near Allegheny Avenue and 4th Street, leaving a coat behind.
According to Pace, police also found a gun and a group of spent shell casings believed to be involved in the shooting in the same area.
“It’s very possible that there may have been a shooting inside the bus and also shots fired from outside of the bus toward the bus,” Pace said, “We’re still trying to piece all that together at this time.”
This is an active investigation and police are reviewing surveillance footage from the SEPTA bus.