LONDON — Kate, the Princess of Wales, announced Friday that she was diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy, breaking her silence after weeks of widespread speculation over her health.
The 42-year-old wife of Prince William, Britain’s future king, was hospitalized for almost two weeks at the private London Clinic after having major abdominal surgery in January.
It was thought that her condition was noncancerous and that the surgery had been successful, Kate said Friday in a rare video message. “However,” she said, “tests after the operation found cancer had been present.”
Kate said that she was now undergoing “a course of preventative chemotherapy” on the advice of her medical team. She did not specify what type of cancer she has or at what stage it was found, and Kensington Palace, the couple’s royal household, has not said why the operation was necessary.
“I am now in the early stages of that treatment,” Kate said in the statement, released by the palace. She thanked the public for their support but also asked for “time, space and privacy” while completing her treatment.
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“This, of course, came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family. As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment,” Kate said.
“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,” she added, referring to their three young children.
Kate also had a message for those affected by the disease.
“At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer,” she said. “For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.”
At the time of…
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