Kensington Palace confirmed that Kate Middleton is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer.
Earlier this year, Kensington Palace announced Princess Kate's "scheduled abdominal surgery," which took place on January 17, coinciding with Prince William's cancellation of immediate royal appointments.
In a statement, Princess Kate revealed that her condition was initially believed to be non-cancerous, and the surgery was deemed successful. However, post-operative tests revealed the presence of cancer.
The King revealed he is "so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did" and remains in the "closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law".
Princess Kate's statement reads: "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."
"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. 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."
"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. 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."
"As I have said to them; I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits. Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too. As is the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you. It means so much to us both.
"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.
"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."
Buckingham Palace said: "His Majesty is 'so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did'. Following their time in hospital together, HM has 'remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks. Both Their Majesties 'will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time'."
James Middleton, Kate's brother, shared a photo of them on Instagram, writing, "Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you too."
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed that the Princess of Wales has "the love and support of the whole country" as she undergoes cancer treatment.
Later in the evening (March 22), Prince Harry and Meghan Markle issued tributes, saying, "We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace."
Since her surgery, the Princess of Wales has not appeared in public. The only public photo released since then was a Mother's Day post from the official Kensington Instagram account. However, the Mother's Day photo was found to have been digitally altered, prompting major photo agencies to issue a "kill notice" on its circulation.
Later, she apologized for the post, acknowledging that she enjoys editing images as a hobby and occasionally experiments with editing. Princess Kate wrote, "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."
The London Clinic, where King Charles III received treatment for an enlarged prostate, also confirmed a potential data breach involving Kate Middleton's medical records.
Al Russell, the hospital head, confirmed the breach and stated that three staff members are under investigation. He said, "There is no place at our hospital for those who intentionally breach the trust of any of our patients or colleagues.
"We take enormous pride in the outstanding care and discretion we aim to deliver for all our patients that put their trust in us every day. We have systems in place to monitor management of patient information and, in the case of any breach, all appropriate investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken."
