Princess Kate Middleton has cancer, it was announced today in a video released worldwide.
“I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you personally for all the wonderful messages of support and for your understanding whilst I’ve been recovering from surgery. It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but I’ve had a fantastic medical team who have taken great care of me for which I’m so grateful,” Kate said. “In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful, however, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy, and I’m now in the early stages of that treatment.”
She went on to say that the news came as a “huge shock” for her family.
“William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,” she continued. “As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment.”
Kate went on to say that she and William have taken time to share the news with their three kids, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.
“I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal in my mind, body and spirits,” she added. “Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too, as is the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you. It means so much to us both. We hope that you’ll understand that as a family, we now need some time, space, and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy, and I look forward to being back when I’m able. But for now, I must focus on making a full recovery.”
A message from Catherine, The Princess of Wales pic.twitter.com/5LQT1qGarK
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 22, 2024
Questions about Kate’s health have been swirling since she underwent abdominal surgery in January. She first stepped out on March 4 after taking a break from her royal duties and was spotted in the passenger’s seat of a car her mother, Carole Middleton, was driving. Days later, Kate was photographed in the backseat of a car with her husband, William.
In the photo obtained by the Daily Mail, William, 41, was seen looking down as Kate turned her head toward the car window, away from photographers. While William was headed to the annual Commonwealth Day service, the outlet reported that Kate was on her way to “a private appointment.”
However, the outing that raised the most eyebrows among royal watchers took place on March 16, when Kate and William were seen at the Windsor Farm Shop. A now-viral video of their weekend outing had some social media users speculating about whether the woman in the video was actually the Princess of Wales.
Kate’s appearances — and lack thereof — have been a major topic of conversation on social media after she wasn’t spotted for months amid her recovery from the aforementioned abdominal surgery. Her rep attempted to shut down the rumors in February.
“Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the princess’ recovery and we’d only be providing significant updates,” a spokesperson for Kate told Us Weekly in a statement. “That guidance stands.”
While some have wondered why her recovery period is so long, royal expert Nick Bullen exclusively told Us there may be a simple reason why.
“I think they really felt they wanted to take time for her to recover properly and come back fully recovered, because there’s an argument that if she’d come back very quickly and then not been fully recovered and [had] to retreat again, that would’ve created even more speculation,” he said. “So, I think the view was [to] go in, get it done properly, get better, and then come back out full tilt.”
Amid Kate’s health controversy, she also made headlines for various editing mistakes in a Mother’s Day portrait posted on Kensington Palace’s social media platforms. In the snap, Kate posed alongside her three kids.
Within hours of the portrait being posted online, it was widely reported that several news agencies sent out a “kill notification” to remove the image. The next day, Kate shared a statement — which was signed “C” for Catherine — to address the situation.
“Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing,” read a statement posted via X from the official Prince and Princess of Wales account on Monday. “I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day.”
