London, UK - Kate Middleton's January abdominal surgery is said to have been conducted by a special team of Italian doctors who even operated on Pope Francis.

The team was reportedly flown to the UK specifically for the risky procedure on the royal, which ultimately resulted in a cancer diagnosis for the mother of three.

Doctors from the Gemelli Clinic in Rome are said to have carried out the procedure, as reported by the Italian magazine Gente.

The Italian hospital has quite the reputation, and it has been treating Pope Francis, among others, for many years.

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According to the latest rumors, the team traveled to the London clinic in January to take care of the Princess of Wales.

The British royal family normally has its own medical team for health matters, but the clinic is said to employ many foreign specialists under special circumstances.

In an exceptional case like Kate's, this is not unusual, a patient at the hospital told Bild.

As the wife of the heir to the throne, Prince William, Kate occupies an important position in the British royal family, so it would not be unusual for the possible future queen to have been treated by the best specialists.