The Princess of Wales announced she had cancer on Friday, following weeks of speculation about her health and whereabouts.
Kensington Palace
Kate Middleton and Prince William have thanked the public for their well wishes following the Princess of Wales' cancer diagnosis, according to a Kensington Palace spokesperson.
"The Prince and Princess are both enormously touched by the kind messages from people here in the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world in response to Her Royal Highness' message," a palace spokesperson told outlets, including ABC News, in a statement on Saturday.
"They are extremely moved by the public's warmth and support and are grateful for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time."
On Friday, Kensington Palace released a video of Kate, 42, speaking directly to the camera, marking her first official address to the public in 2024.
In the video, Kate revealed that she has cancer and has been undergoing treatment.
The mother-of-three said that her medical team initially thought her condition was "non-cancerous." But, she added, tests after her planned abdominal surgery in January found that cancerous cells were present in her body, leading her doctors to advise she "undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy."
A message from Catherine, The Princess of Wales pic.twitter.com/5LQT1qGarK
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 22, 2024
Kate did not specify what type of cancer she had in the announcement.
The video statement, shared on Instagram and X, came after weeks of speculation surrounding Kate's condition, whereabouts, and her and William's relationship.
Kate stated in the video that it took time to explain her condition to her children — Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5 — adding that she wanted them to know she would "be OK."
"As I have said to them, I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal: in my mind, body, and spirits," she added.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
She ended the video with a request for privacy: "We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space, and privacy while I complete my treatment."
Kensington Palace said on January 17 that Kate had undergone "planned abdominal surgery" and that she likely wouldn't return to work until around Easter.
Following the surgery, she spent 13 nights at the London Clinic, near Regent's Park in central London, and returned to Windsor Castle to continue recuperating on January 29.
By the end of February, social media was rife with rumors as people noted that she hadn't been photographed in public for over two months (her last official outing had been on Christmas Day).
A family photo to mark Mother's Day in the UK earlier this month, probably intended to squash the rumors, only appeared to worsen matters. Multiple photo agencies recalled the picture in less than 24 hours over concerns that it had been digitally manipulated.
As royal commentators told Business Insider, the cancer diagnosis news should now put a stop to the swirling conspiracy theories.
