LONDON (AP) – Support poured in from around the world Saturday after Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, revealed in a candid video message that she was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer after major abdominal surgery.
The princess’s harrowing video, in which she spoke of her family’s “huge shock” and “incredibly difficult few months” following her diagnosis, was released after weeks of frenzied speculation on social media about her health and well-being. Ta.
“This was of course a huge shock. William and I have done everything we can to handle and manage this privately for our young family,” Duchess Kate recorded in Windsor on Wednesday. He said this in a 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 say what type of cancer was discovered after what she described as “major” abdominal surgery. She is currently in the early stages of preventive chemotherapy and said she is “getting better every day.”
The royal family said her condition was thought to be non-cancerous until tests after surgery revealed the diagnosis.
The Princess of Wales is loved and supported by the whole country. pic.twitter.com/IFX51Wm5Q3
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) March 22, 2024
The announcement adds to the wild and sometimes fanciful speculation and conspiracy theories about her condition that have proliferated on social media since Kensington Palace announced in mid-January that she had been hospitalized for unexplained abdominal surgery. It will at least partially quell it.
Hashtags like “WeLoveYouCatherine” and “GetWellSoonCatherine” trended on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, with political leaders and cancer survivors sending messages of support.
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 speaking out for herself.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday she was “deeply saddened” to hear the “terrifying news.”
Jill and I join millions of people around the world in praying for Princess Kate’s full recovery. https://t.co/jtLp8Uo23d
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 23, 2024
King Charles III, who is also being treated for an unspecified type of cancer, said in a statement: “I am extremely proud of Kate’s brave 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, but 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, mistrust of the royal family was further heightened after Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, admitted to editing an official photo released to commemorate Mother’s Day in the UK.
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.
My thoughts are with the Princess of Wales, her children and the entire Royal Family after they bravely shared the news of her cancer.
On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to thank her for her treatment. We all wish her a speedy recovery.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) March 22, 2024
Even the video released last week Sun TMZ showed Kate and William shopping near their home, but the negative coverage persisted, with some armchair detectives never believing Kate was in the video. There were too.
By contrast, many of Saturday’s newspaper front pages carried sympathetic headlines, with The Sun declaring: “Kate, you are not alone.” daily telegraphh featured an opinion piece that said, “Online trolls who take pleasure in a princess’ misery should be ashamed.”
Fans and well-wishers visited Windsor and Kensington Palace to show their support for Duchess Kate.
“I hope they can find hope and family unity,” said Andrea Stunz, who was visiting London from Texas when she heard of Duchess Kate’s death. “We pray for them. We pray for their families.”
