Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, reveals her battle with cancer

In a personal video recorded in the gardens of Windsor Castle, the Princess of Wales shared that she was diagnosed with cancer and is in the early stages of chemotherapy.

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Kate had been the target of intense speculation, even fueling conspiracy theories – Photo Reproduction/Social Networks

The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, 42 years old, known for her charm and elegance, surprised the world this Friday (22), when she revealed her battle against cancer. In the announcement made through a video recorded in the gardens of Windsor Castle by BBC broadcaster and published on one of her social networks, the future Queen of England said that she is undergoing chemotherapy sessions and that she underwent surgery.

"I wanted to thank you for the messages of support. It has been a very difficult few months for our family. I thank my medical team. In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery and at the time it was thought that my condition was not cancer. The surgery was successful, however tests after the operation noted that there was cancer. My medical team advised that I undergo preventive chemotherapy, and now I am in the early stages of this treatment", said the princess.

Official announcement

Sitting on a bench, she spoke for two minutes and sixteen seconds. The recording was made on Wednesday at the BBC studios. Catherine, wearing a white sweater with black stripes, appeared calm as she spoke, although she briefly looked away when mentioning the impact of the news in your family. In the video, Kate expressed her gratitude for the messages of support she received, stating that she feels good and that her strength increases every day.

She shared that she underwent significant abdominal surgery in London, initially with no suspicion of cancer, which was successful. However, post-operative examinations revealed the presence of the disease. Given this diagnosis, his medical team recommended carrying out preventive chemotherapy, currently in the initial stage. Kate highlighted the difficult months faced by her and her family, but expressed her gratitude for having an exceptional medical team by her side. The Princess of Wales also mentioned that she has decided to provide medical updates to end any further speculation about her health status.

Disappearance after surgery

As of this Friday, the health status of Kate Middleton was the subject of intense speculation, even fueling conspiracy theories. The controversy surrounding her health began in January, when Kensington Palace announced that she had undergone abdominal surgery. This announcement took many by surprise, as they had not been previously informed about the operation, nor were details provided about the procedure itself.

After the surgery, the Duchess of Cambridge had to remain hospitalized for 13 days in a medical institution in London. Even after being discharged, doctors recommended that she stay at home and stay away from official commitments until after Easter. Only last Saturday (16), Kate Middleton spotted in public for the first time since abdominal surgery, as reported by the website TMZ, which released a video on Monday (18) showing her walking alongside William with a smile on her face.

Kate Middleton's disappearance became more controversial when Kensington Palace, amid questions about the princess's whereabouts, released a photo of her with her children on Mother's Day in the United Kingdom, on the 10th. The image, the first officially released by the royal family since Kate's surgery, was withdrawn from circulation by the main news agencies hours after its release, due to suspicions of manipulation and editing.

The following day, Kensington Palace issued a statement signed by Kate, in which she acknowledged the manipulation of the image. The Princess of Wales stated in the note that she herself edited the photo, in which she appears sitting and surrounded by her three children - according to the palace, Prince William took the photo. "Like many other amateur photographers, I occasionally edit photos. I want to express my apologies for any confusion caused by the family photo we shared yesterday. I hope everyone had a happy Mother's Day (which in the UK is celebrated on March 10th) ", said Kate, in the statement.

Revelation

After several weeks of speculation about her health, Catherine announced that she and her husband, Prince William, decided to take the time to explain the situation to their three children: George, aged 10, Charlotte, aged eight, and Louis, aged five. She emphasized the need for time, space and privacy as she proceeds with her treatment. “It is crucial for me to focus on a full recovery,” he said.

It is understood that the announcement was strategically planned to coincide with the end of the school term, marking the start of the Easter holidays for children. According to her, it was a shocking revelation for Prince William and they have tried their best to deal with it privately, aiming for the well-being of their family. Furthermore, as expected, this process took time.

Kate shared that it took time to recover from the surgery before starting treatment. But most of all, it was essential to take the time to explain everything to the children properly and reassure them that everything will be fine, in other words, she managed to reassure her children, assuring them that she would recover. "I am well and getting stronger every day, focusing on the measures that will help me heal," he said.

According to her, William's presence by her side was a significant source of comfort and security, as well as the love, support and kindness shown by everyone who accompanied her. "This means a lot to both of us," Catherine concluded.

Buckingham

King Charles III, aged 75, who is also currently undergoing cancer treatment and was hospitalized at the same time as Catherine in January, expressed his pride in the courage she showed in sharing her words. After sharing time in hospital, [Her Majesty] has maintained a close connection with her beloved daughter-in-law in recent weeks, a statement from Buckingham Palace said, and that both monarchs will continue to offer their love and support to the family at this challenging time. The palace did not release additional details, not even about what type of cancer was detected.

Repercussion

In response to the announcement, Prime Minister of England Rishi Sunak criticized the way the princess was treated by certain sectors of the global media and on social media platforms. Rodney Starmer, leader of the UK opposition, commented that any cancer diagnosis is upsetting, but pondered the added stress of receiving such news amid the dark speculation that has circulated in recent weeks.