Princess Kate of Wales said she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy, in a video message published on Friday, two months after undergoing “major” abdominal surgery.
The type of cancer was not revealed. According to Kensington Palace, Kate began a course of preventative chemotherapy in late February.
The announcement sparked a wave of support and comes as Kate's father-in-law, King Charles III, undergoes cancer treatment.
“This was of course a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our little family,” Kate, 42, said in the video, which was filmed in Windsor on January 23. Wednesday. “As you can imagine, this has taken time. It took time recovering from major surgery to begin my treatment.”
She said the cancer was discovered in post-operative tests following her scheduled abdominal surgery in mid-January.
Kate described the operation as “major abdominal surgery” and said in her video: “At the time, my condition was thought to be non-cancerous.”
The exact type of surgery she underwent has not been revealed.
“The surgery was a success,” Kate said. “However, tests conducted after the operation showed the presence of cancer. My medical team therefore advised me that I should undergo a course of preventive chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of this treatment.”
At the time of Kate's surgery, Kensington Palace said her condition was not cancerous. The palace has provided little information about her condition since then.
Kate said: “We took some time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that was right for them, and to reassure them that I would be OK.” He added: “As I told them, I am fine and I am getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal, in my mind, body and morale.”
Kate said that having her husband, Prince William, by her side was “a great source of comfort and reassurance.”
“We hope you 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 returning when I am able to. But for now I must focus on making a full recovery,” Kate said. “I also think of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. To anyone facing this disease, in any way, please do not lose faith or hope. you are not alone.”
Kate will return to her official duties when her medical team allows her to do so, according to the palace.
Charles said he was “very proud of Catherine for having the courage to speak out as she did,” a Buckingham Palace spokesman said on Friday.
The King and Princess of Wales were in hospital at the same time in January. The spokesman said that in the past few weeks, the king has remained “in close contact with his beloved daughter-in-law.”
The spokesman said that Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, “will continue to offer their love and support to the entire family during this difficult time.”
“We wish health and recovery to Kate and the family, and hope they can do so in privacy and peace,” Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, said in a statement.
The Sussexes' comments come amid a years-long dispute between Harry and William.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement that his thoughts were with Kate and her family, adding: “She has shown tremendous courage in her statement today.”
“In recent weeks, she has been under intense scrutiny and treated unfairly by certain sections of the media around the world and on social media. When it comes to health matters, like everyone else, she should have privacy to focus on her treatment and be with her loving family.” “. “I know I speak for the entire country in wishing her a full and speedy recovery and I look forward to seeing her back in action when she is ready.”
Friday's announcement comes after reports that several staff at the London clinic, where Kate was admitted in January, are under investigation for allegedly trying to access the Princess of Wales' medical records.
The announcement also comes weeks after she was hit with a photo-editing controversy.
Kate celebrated Mother's Day in the United Kingdom on March 10. By sharing a photo on X She is smiling, surrounded by her three children. The photo was the first official photo of Kate seen by the public since December.
The photo was taken by several international news agencies, including the Associated Press, Reuters, Getty Images and Agence France-Presse.
Those agencies later retracted the photo, saying it may have been edited by members of the royal family before publishing it.
The Associated Press said it appeared that “the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet AP photography standards.”
The next day, Kate said her Mother's Day photo had been edited and apologized for any “confusion” caused by the edits.
“Like many amateur photographers, I occasionally experiment with editing,” she said in a statement on Channel X. “I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion caused by the family photo we shared yesterday.”
Meanwhile, Kate's father-in-law, King Charles, is also undergoing treatment for an unknown type of cancer.
The palace announced the king's cancer diagnosis – which came after treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia – on February 5.
The type of treatment was not revealed.
The Prime Minister told the BBC in February that the king's cancer was “caught early”.
