Princess Kate, wife of William, the heir to the British throne, announced in a video on Friday that she had cancer, without specifying its nature, and had started chemotherapy.
This announcement represents a new blow for the British royal family. A month and a half ago, on February 6, Buckingham Palace announced that 75-year-old King Charles III, who acceded to the throne in September 2022, had been diagnosed with cancer.
“In January I had a major abdominal operation in London. At the time, we thought that my condition was not cancerous,” explained the 42-year-old princess in a video, where she appeared looking distressed.
“However, tests carried out after the operation revealed the presence of cancer,” she continued, speaking of a “huge shock”.
“My medical team therefore advised me to undergo preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of this treatment,” added the Princess of Wales. However, she assured that she was “fine”.
“It took us a while to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis,” her three children with Prince William, she said. “As I told them, I am doing well, and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal,” she added, saying she hopes the public will understand that “we need time, space and privacy while I continue my treatment.
Rumors
The princess’s state of health had been a concern for more than two months.
On January 17, Kensington Palace announced that Kate had undergone a major abdominal operation the day before in a London clinic. The palace then warned that she would not return to her public functions before Easter.
He did not give any other details, but passed the information on to British royal correspondents that it was not cancer.
The long convalescence of the princess, usually one of the most photographed women on the planet, and the absence of information have fueled rumors and wild speculation for weeks, which the palace has not managed to stop.
On March 10, for British Mother’s Day, Kensington released an official photo of Kate smiling surrounded by her three children, the first since Christmas. But after the photo was removed by major international agencies, including AFP, Kate admitted it had been photoshopped, further fueling speculation.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wished the princess a “full and speedy” recovery on Friday, while the White House said it was “extremely sad” at the news of her illness.