Princess Kate Middleton reveals she has cancer, requests privacy

LONDON (UK): Princess of Wales Kate Middleton has revealed that she has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

In a video message posted on her social media Friday, the Duchess said that she underwent major abdominal surgery in January, which was successful. But, the tests after the operation detected the presence of cancer.

This comes after weeks of speculation regarding Middleton’s health. She was not seen in public since Christmas.

A message from Catherine, The Princess of Wales pic.twitter.com/5LQT1qGarK

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 22, 2024

“I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you, personally, for all the wonderful messages of support and for your understanding whilst I have been recovering from surgery,” she said in the video message, adding that it has been an “incredibly tough couple of months” for the entire family.

“In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was noncancerous. 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 am now in the early stages of that treatment,” she added.

The Princess of Wales said that this has come as a shock to the entire family and thanked the love and support of her husband Prince Williams and all others.

“As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK,” she further said.

She also requested for time, space and privacy as she undergoes the cancer treatment and also extended her wishes for others suffering from the disease.

“We hope that you will 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 am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery,” the Duchess said.

She added, “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. You are not alone.”

This comes as another shock to the British Royal Family after King Charles III was diagnosed with cancer. It was said that he was caught with an unspecified type of cancer that was caught while undergoing a procedure for a benign enlarged prostate. Charles (75) has withdrawn from public duties while he is undergoing cancer treatment.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has expressed her support for Kate while wishing her a speedy recovery and saying that the whole country’s thoughts are with her.

The Princess of Wales has the love and support of the whole country. pic.twitter.com/IFX51Wm5Q3

— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) March 22, 2024

“My thoughts are with the Princess of Wales, Prince of Wales, the Royal Family and in particular her three children, in this difficult time,” UK PM Rishi Sunak said in a statement.

“She has shown tremendous bravery with her statement today. In recent weeks she has been subjected to intense scrutiny and has been unfairly treated by certain sections of the media around the world and on social media. When it comes to matters of health, like everyone else, she must be afforded the privacy to focus on her treatment and be with her loving family,” he added.

Recently, a photo of Kate Middleton along with her three children, released by her office at Kensington Palace to celebrate Mother’s Day in the UK, created a controversy after several people pointed out ‘irregularities’ in it.

Kate issued an apology and said that she was ‘experimenting’ with editing the photograph.

“Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused,” she posted on X. (ANI)