WHAT courage it will have taken for poor Catherine to tell the world she is suffering from cancer.
We now know that the only reason she kept it secret is for the sake of her children.
Cancer is a word that scares everybody and chemotherapy is a pretty tough treatment and the body needs to be strong to withstand it.
Catherine has got great willpower and determination which I have seen up-close since the day I first photographed her.
Catherine’s statement took a lot of courage to do and she has told us that the reason she kept her cancer secret until now is for the sake of her children.
With the support of William I’m sure they will battle through.
I do wonder how the trolls who made such ludicrous claims about this amazing lady feel now.
Hopefully, they feel well and truly ashamed of the madness of the last few weeks – and so they should.
Now they know just how serious her illness has been since January, I hope the madness behind the wild rumours and crazy speculation will end so Catherine can be left alone with her husband and family while she makes a full recovery in her own time.
Cancer is a word that scares everybody and chemotherapy is a pretty tough treatment and the body needs to be strong to withstand it.
When I heard the news yesterday, I was transported back to the day I took their engagement photograph.
I remember asking William ‘why did you break up with Catherine?’ He told me: “Because I had to be certain. I want this marriage to last forever.”
Working with the pair of them on royal engagements I can see their absolute love is real.
The way they always have time to turn and smile at each other and have little secret conversations, reminds me of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh whose marriage lasted for seven decades.
That genuine love between William and Kate is what will get them through her cancer ordeal.
It did not surprise me at all that when Catherine went into hospital, William stopped work immediately and took over the running of the family, getting the children to school, doing their homework reading to them – all the things that mum would have done.
Her video statement is wonderful, talking about her love for William his love for her and the children and the last line.
Yet, while she talked of having William at her side, Catherine also had thoughts for others facing the same illness.
In the last line of her incredible statement she willed other cancer sufferers to ‘please, do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone’.
That shows just how special and caring this woman is.
Cancer takes a toll of families but how remarkable that with all the trolling and conspiracy theories that have swirled around her, Catherine is thinking of others.
In the last line of her incredible statement she willed other cancer sufferers to ‘please, do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone’
A dear friend of mine is suffering from cancer at the moment and like so many others he lives in hope of a cure.
Kate’s touching statement will give comfort to him and millions more.
She is a very caring person but now she needs lots of tender loving care and she’ll get that from her family.
I suspect she must have been in deep conversation with the King who is also struggling with cancer.
He is doing his best to carry on without risking infection by meeting members of the public and every day see pictures of him meeting ambassadors or having Privy Council meetings.
I have covered the day-to-day life of the royal family for nearly 50 years but still events in their lives surprise even me.
How strange that both of them had an operation in the same hospital in the same week and both discover they have cancer.
But, thank God, they did and hopefully it will not be long before they are both back working as hard as ever for our country.
Until then she must rest, must not have distress and anxiety of engagements, briefings and meetings.
She’s got to just drop all that and concentrate on getting better again.
Meanwhile, the trolls must stop being vicious and nasty about a woman whose only role in life is to do her best for the country.
It is a job she took on knowing she would be in an electronic goldfish bowl with everybody watching everything she does.
More from Kate’s emotional message…
But she’s prepared to accept that.
For the love of her husband she is going to do as much as possible to protect their children from it until they get to an age where they can cope with it themselves.
She’s done her very best to keep us informed.
It took a lot of courage to do that.
But the fact she’s made her children a priority in this shows you what a wonderful mother and a wonderful wife she is.
Get well soon Kate, forget the trolls, concentrate on the good things and the fact that you are on the mend.
We are happy to wait until you are ready and I look forward to working with you again.
HERE is a date-by-date rundown of the health battles to have struck the Royals this year.
JANUARY 16: Kate is admitted to the London Clinic for abdominal surgery.
JAN 17: It is announced that the King is to have treatment for a benign enlarged prostate.
JAN 18: William spends time at Kate’s bedside.
JAN 19: The King flies back from Scotland with the Queen.
JAN 21: It is announced Sarah, Duchess of York, has malignant melanoma, a skin cancer.
JAN 23: Kate’s hospital stay passes one week.
JAN 26: The King is admitted to the London Clinic for treatment.
JAN 29: The King is discharged from hospital. Kate leaves the same day.
JAN 31: Queen Camilla announces that the King is “getting on, doing his best”.
FEBRUARY 5: Buckingham Palace announces the King has cancer, but not of the prostate, and will not carry out public-facing duties.
FEB 18: The King appears in good spirits as he attends a Sunday church service in the grounds of Sandringham.
FEB 23: The King filmed crying and chuckling while opening some of the 7,000 cards from well-wishers.
FEB 27: Prince William pulls out of service last-minute due to ‘personal matter’, sparking wave of unfounded conspiracy theories about Kate’s health.
MARCH 4: Kate Middleton pictured in the car with mum Carole on the Windsor estate.
