Princess Catherine has announced her cancer diagnosis. She made the announcement in a video message released by Kensington Palace on Friday, March 22nd, 2024, and revealed she’s in the early stages of chemotherapy.
In the video, the former Kate Middleton, age 42, said the diagnosis was a “huge shock after an incredibly tough couple of months.”
The cancer, she said, was found during testing carried out after she successfully underwent major abdominal surgery in January. She did not specify the type of cancer or its stage.
She thanked the public for their support, adding that she and her family “now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment.”
Kate’s whereabout have been the subject of speculation since she abruptly disappeared from public view in 3 months ago.
Early this year, Kensington Palace announced that Kate was recovering from a planned abdominal surgery, in a statement, the palace said, the princess “is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter,” but that did little to placate the public but instead, fueling a barrage of conspiracy theories about her absence.
This revelation adds to a long list of bad news for the royals in recent years as just last month, the palace revealed that King Charles III, 75, had been diagnosed with cancer.
The most recent update from Kate before Friday’s news came earlier this month with the release of a photo of the Princess of Wales and her children — Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Prince George — and credited to husband Prince William, on Mother’s Day in the U.K. The photo was later revealed to be doctored, with Kate taking the blame for an amateur editing job.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement that the princess had shown “tremendous bravery,” amid weeks of intense scrutiny and media coverage.
“The Princess of Wales has the love and support of the whole country as she continues her recovery,” he said.
The US president reacting to the news via White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, sent his best wishes for Kate’s full recovery.
“We are incredibly sad to hear of the news,” she said. “We want to make sure that we certainly respect their privacy at this incredibly difficult time.”
