London –
Support poured in from around the world on Saturday after Duchess Kate revealed in a candid video message that she was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer after major abdominal surgery.
The princess’ harrowing video, which describes her family’s “huge shock” and “incredibly difficult few months” following her diagnosis, sparked weeks of frenzied speculation on social media about her health and well-being. It was later published.
“Of course this has been a huge shock. William and I have done everything we can to handle and manage this privately for our young family,” Duchess Kate said in Windsor on Wednesday. he said in a recorded video.
“It took me a while to explain everything in the proper way to George, Charlotte and Louis and reassure them that I was okay,” she added of her three young children.
Kate, 42, did not reveal what type of cancer was discovered after the surgery. She is currently in the early stages of preventive chemotherapy and she is “getting better every day,” she said.
Her condition was initially thought to be non-cancerous until post-surgery tests revealed the diagnosis.
The announcement follows intense and sometimes fanciful speculation and conspiracies about Duchess Kate’s condition that have proliferated on social media since Kensington Palace announced in mid-January that the Duchess had been hospitalized for unexplained abdominal surgery. This will at least partially quell the controversy.
Hashtags like “WeLoveYouCatherine” and “GetWellSoonCatherine” trended on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, with political leaders, celebrities and cancer survivors sending messages of support.
Flowers and a letter were left for the Princess of Wales outside Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, on Saturday, March 23, 2024. When Britain’s Princess Kate of Wales revealed that she was undergoing treatment for cancer, she received an outpouring of support and congratulations from those around her. world. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “She has been subjected to intense scrutiny and unfair treatment in certain sections of the media and on social media around the world.” “She showed great courage in what she said.”
“Princess Kate, millions of people around the world are praying for your full recovery,” US President Joe Biden posted on social media alongside First Lady Jill Biden.
King Charles III, who is also undergoing treatment for an unspecified type of cancer, said in a statement: “I am extremely proud of Kate’s courageous words.” Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, who have been estranged from the royal family since moving to California in 2020, said they wished “the health and healing of Kate and her family.”
Until Friday, there was little information about Duchess Kate’s condition, and her months-long disappearance from the public eye sparked a flurry of rumors about the “missing” future queen.
Officials have only said that Kate’s surgery in January was successful and that she will be away from royal duties until April to recuperate.
Earlier this month, Duchess Kate admitted to altering an official photograph released to mark Mother’s Day in the UK, further fueling distrust of the royal family.
The photo was intended to calm and reassure the public, but sparked a backlash after The Associated Press and other news organizations retracted the image over concerns it had been manipulated.
Even a video released by The Sun and TMZ last week showing Kate and William shopping near their home didn’t dispel the negative press, leading some armchair detectives to I never believed that the video showed Kate.
By contrast, many of Saturday’s newspaper front pages carried sympathetic headlines, with The Sun declaring: “Kate, you are not alone.” The Daily Telegraph published an opinion piece saying: “The disgusting online trolls who are reveling in the princess’s misery should be ashamed.” The news was widely covered in international newspapers from Italy to France.
A montage of the front pages of some British newspapers in London, Saturday, March 23, 2024. Britain’s Princess Kate of Wales revealed that she was undergoing treatment for cancer, sparking an outpouring of support and well wishes from around the world. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Madeline Pritzer, an American student living in Paris, said: “I understand why she kept it a secret, but I’m glad everyone knows now and can’t speculate.”
Well-wishers laid flowers outside Windsor Castle on Saturday, and many royal fans who had visited Windsor and Kensington Palace said they had been moved by Kate’s personal message about health issues.
Natalie Richardson, who was visiting from New Zealand, said: “Your hearts go out to her and her family. I think we all feel for her.” That’s “a really big thing for anyone to face.”
Like Charles before her, Duchess Kate’s decision to go public with her health status was praised for encouraging people to think more about their health and get tested for worrying symptoms.
In the video, Kate directly addressed all those affected by cancer, saying, “Please don’t lose faith and hope.”
“This announcement is a stark and shocking reminder that cancer doesn’t care about age or social status,” said oncologist and cancer awareness activist Pat Price. “A cancer diagnosis is always very worrying, but the fact that the Princess is so young and in the prime of her life makes this news even more upsetting and disturbing.”
It is currently unclear when Duchess Kate will return to public life.
Duchess Kate and Prince William were not expected to join other members of the royal family for the traditional Easter Sunday service in Windsor.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: “The Princess will return to royal duties once her medical team has given her permission to do so.” She said: “She is doing well and she is focused on making a full recovery.”
Associated Press video journalists Oleg Setinich in Paris and Mayuko Ono in Windsor, England, contributed to this report.
