Kate Middleton Announces She Has Cancer

Kate Middleton has been diagnosed with cancer.

The Princess of Wales announced her diagnosis on March 22 in a video posted to her shared social media account with husband Prince William.

Middleton says she underwent major abdominal surgery on Jan. 14 and that her condition was believed to be non-cancerous. However, upon further testing, doctors found cancer.

The type of cancer Middleton has has not been revealed to the public.

Middleton says the news came as a “huge shock” and that she and William have been processing her diagnosis privately with their three young children while she undergoes treatment and continues to heal from her surgery.

“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,” Middle says in the video.

READ MORE: Princess Kate’s Medical Records Impacted by ‘Security Breach’

“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,” Middleton adds.

The princess says she is “well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits.”

Middleton will undergo a course of “preventative chemotherapy” and she is in the early stages of treatment.

Middleton’s absence previously sparked a debate among the public, with many wondering about her whereabouts following her January abdominal surgery.

Newsweek reports the palace previously released statement saying that Middleton was “doing well.”

What to Know About King Charles’ Cancer Diagnosis 

Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles had been diagnosed with “a type of cancer” in a statement on Feb. 5.

In the statement, the palace shared that Charles “has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties” and that he “will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.”

Queen Camilla shared an update on Charles’ health on March 21.

“He’s doing very well. He was very disappointed he couldn’t come,” Camilla said while on a trip to Belfast.