LONDON — A childhood medical operation caused the white scar spotted on the Duchess of Cambridge’s skull, the palace revealed Thursday after speculation arose over the mark above her left ear.
While the wife of Prince William shimmered in a silver evening gown by Amanda Wakeley, it was a slender, three-inch scar near her hairline that set tongues wagging after the Duchess hosted a charity dinner Wednesday night.
Given that her luscious locks are the envy of women the world over, some onlookers concluded the newlywed had hair extensions added to keep up appearances as she adjusts to her life in the spotlight.
But a spokesman for the Duchess at St James’s Palace told the UK’s Daily Mail “the scar related to a childhood operation,” declining to further describe the medical procedure.
The 29-year-old received glowing praise for passing through one of the rites of passage for a new member of Britain’s royal family — attending her first solo engagement at Clarence House, London.
She stepped in with less than 24 hours’ notice to represent the Prince of Wales at a charity dinner, for In Kind Direct, because her father-in-law had to travel to Saudi Arabia to offer his condolences following the death of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al Saud.
Prince Charles originally asked his eldest son, Prince William, to stand in his place but William was on duty as a helicopter pilot in north Wales.
“The Prince of Wales was very grateful that the Duchess could stand in for him. In Kind Direct is a charity close to his heart, given that he founded it,” a royal source told The (London) Times.
“She spent a lot of time beforehand researching it and ensuring that she knew what it was all about. She approached it with her customary professionalism, diligence and charm, and had a really enjoyable evening, as by all accounts so did all the guests,” the source added.