Kate Middleton Reveals She Was Diagnosed With Cancer

Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, announced on Friday that she was diagnosed with cancer in January. In a video posted on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ social media account, Middleton revealed that she went for a “major abdominal surgery” after what she thought was a non-cancerous situation.

“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. 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,” Middleton said.

“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. 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,” she added.

Middleton has now begun chemo following her recovery from major surgery. According to her, she is “well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits.”

The princess went on to ask for “some time, space and privacy” for her family while she completes her treatment and focuses on her “full recovery.”

She concluded her message by sending love to “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,” she added.

Middleton did not address the timeline of her return to royal duties. Kensington Palace, however, said in a statement in January that she would be returning to her duties after Easter.

Princess Kate’s message follows weeks of speculation about Middleton’s health after she pulled a no-show at public events since her surgery in January. Questions and speculations regarding her absence grew louder last week after a family photo of he and her children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, was shared by Kensington Palace in honor of U.K. Mother’s Day.

Hours after the photo made rounds in publications and on social media, the Associated Press and some other news agencies pointed out that the photo had been “manipulated.”

In the photo, part of Princess Kate was not wearing her wedding rings and Princess Charlotte’s arm seemed to be missing. There were also other minor inconsistencies pointed out in the photo, such as a white line in the background and the pattern on Prince Louis’ sweater.

The princess later released a statement acknowledging that the image had been edited.

“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. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day,” she wrote on X.

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. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 11, 2024