- Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, revealed she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.
- The March 22 announcement follows Catherine’s two-month absence from the public eye to recover from major abdominal surgery for a condition that was previously believed to be noncancerous.
- Catherine, who is married to William, the Prince of Wales and heir to the British throne, has asked for privacy during her recovery.
- Catherine is the latest British royal to reveal she has cancer. King Charles III and former royal family member Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, have recently shared their cancer diagnoses.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, shared on March 22 that she’d been diagnosed with cancer and is currently in the early stages of treatment, undergoing preventive chemotherapy. The type of cancer was not specified.
The announcement was shared in a video message two months after Catherine had stepped away from official public appearances to recover from major abdominal surgery, which Kensington Palace said at the time had been noncancerous.
Catherine spent 13 days in a London hospital following the procedure and paused public duties during her recovery.
However, Catherine explained that tests performed after the January 16 surgery revealed a cancer diagnosis.
“This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,” said Catherine, 42, who is married to William, the Prince of Wales and the heir to the British crown.
“As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. 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 am so grateful,” Catherine continued.
World leaders react to Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis
Shortly after Catherine’s announcement, the White House said the administration was “incredibly sad to hear of the news.”
“Our thoughts are with the Duchess of Cambridge and her family members and friends during this incredibly difficult time, and certainly we wish her a full recovery,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Catherine has “the love and support of the whole country” and has shown “tremendous bravery with her statement.”
Both U.K. and U.S. leaders have urged the public to respect the privacy of the British royal family during this time.
Catherine’s recent absence from the public spotlight drew widespread speculation about what had been a mysterious health condition. As conspiracy theories mounted, Catherine also recently came under fire for sharing a family portrait that had been altered, which was redacted by media outlets around the world.
Privacy for British royals, it seems, has historically never been easy to come by.
Other British royal family members diagnosed with cancer
Catherine’s cancer diagnosis is the latest in a series of recent royal family cancer announcements.
King Charles III is currently undergoing treatment for an unspecified cancer that was discovered during a procedure for a benign prostate enlargement.
Former royal family member Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, is recovering from skin cancer. Ferguson’s melanoma was detected early during reconstructive surgery from a mastectomy following a breast cancer diagnosis.
“At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope,” Catherine concluded in the video.
Takeaway
Catherine, Princess of Wales, also known as Kate Middleton, shared in a video message that she has cancer.
While the type of cancer was not specified, Catherine revealed it was detected during testing following a recent major abdominal surgery.
Catherine’s cancer diagnosis follows recent cancer announcements made by King Charles and the Duchess of York.
The royal family, as well as world leaders, urge the public to respect the privacy of Catherine and her family during this time.
