The announcement from Catherine, Princess of Wales, revealing her cancer diagnosis shocked the world — and left the royal family with an increasingly vulnerable image.
But the revelation followed lengthy speculation about her health, and an update from Kensington Palace following her abdominal surgery in January failed to make any mention of cancer.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Princess Kate reveals cancer diagnosis.
Newsletters: Breaking news as it happens. Subscribe now
Kate, 42, had not been seen since Christmas Day when Prince William pulled out of his late godfather’s memorial for a “personal matter” late last month, sparking widespread concern for his wife’s recovery.
The palace had already confirmed on January 17 that Kate had undergone a successful “planned” abdominal surgery, and a palace spokesman said the condition was “non-cancerous”.
“The Princess of Wales continues to be doing well,” a statement from the palace said late last month.
Kate, who is already undergoing “preventative chemotherapy”, said in her video announcement that cancer was detected in results that followed her surgery in January. It remains unclear exactly when the Princess learned about the grim reality of her condition.
But a telling detail in Kate’s announcement reveals another reason why she may have kept the true nature of her prolonged absence private for so long.
“William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,” she said.
She and William had wanted privacy about the cancer until their children — Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five — began their school holidays, which started on Friday.
“It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment,” Kate said in the video announcement.
“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 okay.
“We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment.”
While the type of cancer Kate was diagnosed with has not been disclosed, a starkly different, more public approach was taken by Buckingham Palace when King Charles III’s prostate cancer diagnosis was revealed on February 5.
In a show of support for Princess Kate, King Charles is considering returning for Easter Sunday.
Charles congratulated his daughter-in-law for her video message, after they spent time in hospital together, and said he was “so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did.”
Both royals have stepped back from royal duties while they recover, and Kate confirmed after her operation that she would not return to official duties until after Easter.
A source said Kate was in good spirits and focused on her recovery.
