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Princess Kate has been diagnosed with cancer, she announced in a new video message on Friday, March 22. Hours beforehand, multiple reports surfaced claiming that Kensington Palace was going to make a statement about her condition following her abdominal surgery.
“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,” the Princess of Wales, 42, began in the clip. “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.”
A message from Catherine, The Princess of Wales pic.twitter.com/5LQT1qGarK
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 22, 2024
She continued, “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. 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.”
The Princess of Wales added that her diagnosis “of course came as a huge shock, and [Prince] William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.”
“As you can imagine, this has taken time,” she explained in the 2-minute video. “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.”
Toward the end of the moving video, Kate explained, “As I’ve said to [my children], I am well, and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal, in my mind, body and spirits.”
After crediting her husband, 41, as a “great source of comfort and reassurance,” Kate emphasized that the “love, support and kindness” from fans has also been comforting.
“We hope you’ll understand that as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment,” Kate clarified at the end. “My work has alway brought me a deep sense of joy, and I look forward to being back when I’m able. But for now, I must focus on making a full recovery.”
After taking a pause, Kate noted that she has also been thinking of the others “whose lives have been affected by cancer.” She urged everyone living with any form of the disease to “please” not “lose faith or hope.”
“You are not alone,” she concluded.