Prince William assured royal followers during an outing on Tuesday that all is well at home.
During a surprise walkabout after an engagement in Newcastle upon Tyne, the Prince of Wales spoke with a concerned fan who asked how he and his family were doing.
“Do you mind if I ask how you and the children are?” a woman in a Union Jack hat and cape asked the prince.
Advertisement
“All doing well ― thank you. Yes, we’re doing well,” William answered in a clip captured by the Daily Mail, as the woman asked about William’s wife, Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales.
“We’re all doing well,” William reiterated, before complimenting the woman’s companion on part of her patriotic outfit.
It was the first update William has shared since Kate announced her cancer diagnosis in a March video, following months of speculation about her health.
Advertisement
“In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was noncancerous,” Kate said in the video, adding that her surgery was “successful.”
“However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present,” she explained. “My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.”
Prince William speaks to the public as he visits James’ Place Newcastle on April 30 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Ian Forsyth via Getty Images
Kate began chemotherapy in February. She did not specify what kind of cancer she has, or its severity.
The palace said at the time that it would provide no further updates on Kate’s health.
“The Princess has a right to medical privacy, as we all do,” a spokesperson said.
William and Kate recently celebrated a happy milestone together, marking their 13th wedding anniversary on Monday with a never-before-seen photo.
Advertisement
The black-and-white portrait was taken by photographer Millie Pilkington.
“13 years ago today!” the couple captured their photo.
The Princess of Wales explained that the news came as a “huge shock” to her and her family.
Kate has spent the last few months out of the public eye, following a planned abdominal surgery which was initially thought not to be cancer-related.
Here’s a look at what is publicly known about her condition at the moment.
When and how did Kate find out she had cancer?
When she had planned abdominal surgery on January 16 at a private facility – the London Clinic – Kensington Palace said her condition was “not cancer-related”.
Advertisement
News of the surgery was announced the day after it happened. The Palace only said it was successful, but did not offer any further details.
In Friday’s video, Kate said “tests after the operation found cancer had been present” and she was now in the early stages of preventative chemotherapy.
Dr Yuman Fong, a surgeon at City of Hope cancer centre in Southern California, told Associated Press finding cancer after surgery for a noncancerous problem can happen in about 4% of procedures.
A patient can be going for a surgery related to what is thought to be a benign disease, like removing the gallbladder or ovarian cysts, when cancer can be found, according to Fong.
Advertisement
It is common for tissues taken during surgery to be analysed at a lab afterwards, and that’s when other conditions may be detected.
A still of the Princess of Wales, provided by BBC Studios, in the video where she announced the news.
BBC STUDIOS/THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES
What is cancer and how common is it?
The NHS says: “Cancer is a condition where cells in a specific part of the body grow and reproduce uncontrollably. The cancerous cells can invade and destroy surrounding healthy tissue, including organs.”
Cancer can sometimes spread through the body, too – that’s known as secondary or metastatic cancer.
One in every two people in the UK will develop cancer in their lifetime.
There are more than 200 different types, and each one is diagnosed and treated differently.
Anyone can get cancer but the risk increases as people get older – more cases are found in people aged 50 and over – because there’s more time for cell damage to accumulate.
But, rates of cancer diagnosis are rising for younger people in developed countries, according to medical research. Kate is 42.
Advertisement
Dr Fong told AP: “We hate it when young people get cancer but at the same time, they are the ones that recover best.”
Survival rates from cancer have doubled over the last 50 years, according to Cancer Research UK.
Kate did not reveal this, and neither did the Palace.
It’s unlikely they will any time soon, especially as the Princess of Wales has already shared an unprecedented amount of detail about her health.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: “We will not be sharing any further private medical information. The princess has a right to medical privacy as we all do.”
What treatment is the Princess of Wales receiving?
Kate said in her statement her team advised her to start ‘preventative chemotherapy’ in late February.
Advertisement
She is now in the early stages of this treatment.
Chemotherapy is an un umbrella term for medication – administered by drip or via pill – meant to kill cancerous cells.
It’s meant to stop the risk of cancer coming back again, although the amount needed and how regularly it needs to administered depends on the cancer.
According to the NHS website, chemo can cause some difficult side effects, though “many can be treated or prevented and most will pass once your treatment stops”.
Not everyone gets the same side effects, but some common ones include: anaemia, infections, loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea and hair loss.
Dr Monica Avila of Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, told AP: “A patient can take anywhere from a few weeks to a month or two to recover from those effects.”
Advertisement
When will Kate return to the public eye?
The Palace did not reveal a working timeline for Kate’s treatment, or the advice from her medical team who will decide when it is.
But, the royal officials seem confident Kate will recover.
The statement said: “The Princess is now on a recovery pathway.”
In her video statement, Kate said she had taken her time to tell the public her diagnosis because she wanted to first reassure her three children – aged 10 and under – that she was “going to 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,” Kate said.
Buckingham Palace said the King is “so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did”.
The pair have “remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks” after they spent time in hospital together, according to the spokesperson.
Advertisement
They added that Charles and his wife, Camilla, “will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time”.
She said she is now undergoing preventative chemotherapy.
The news comes a few weeks after the monarch revealed he was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year following a separate procedure for a benign prostate enlargement.
Charles is now going through a schedule of regular treatments.
The two royals were treated at the London Clinic at the same time earlier this year.
The Palace has not revealed what kind of cancer either of the senior royals has, and it is unlikely to do so.
Advertisement
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle extended their sympathies to Kate from across the pond, saying: “We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace.”
Kate’s brother James Middleton also posted on Instagram about the news, sharing an old photo of the two of them alongside the caption: “Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you, too.”
“Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together,” James wrote on Instagram, alongside a childhood photo with his eldest sibling. “As a family, we will climb this one with you too.”
“In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was noncancerous,” Kate explained in the clip. “The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present.”
She went on: “My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.”
“We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace,” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s statement read.
The Princess of Wales’ diagnosis a little more than a month after that of King Charles III, who announced February 5 that he’d begun treatment for cancer. Similarly, Buckingham Palace did not disclose what kind of cancer the 75-year-old British monarch has, or its severity.
“We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace,” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a statement shared with HuffPost.
Advertisement
In a video shared by Kensington Palace on Friday, the Princess of Wales spoke about her health struggles over the last few months.
“In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was noncancerous,” Kate said.
“The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present,” she explained. “My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.”
“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,” the Princess of Wales said, adding that “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.”
Advertisement
Kate ended her message by saying that she looks forward to being back at work when she is able, but she is now focusing on “making a full recovery.”
“At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone,” she added.
The news comes at a shocking time for the royal family, as Buckingham Palace previously announced on February 5 that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer, but did not specify the type or the cancer’s severity.
The cancer was discovered following a procedure the king underwent at the hospital for an enlarged prostate.
TMZ obtained footage of the Princess of Wales and Prince William out and about a mile from their Adelaide Cottage home in Windsor, England, on Saturday.
The brief clip shows the royal couple decked out in casual gear — with William in a baseball cap and Kate in leggings and a light jacket — hauling bags as they leave a local business called the Windsor Farm Shop.
William and Kate walk together in October 2023 in Marlow, England.
Chris Jackson via Getty Images
One bystander told The Sun that Kate appeared to be “happy, relaxed and healthy”.
Although the footage of the couple may seem somewhat banal, Kate hasn’t been photographed publicly since Christmas, leading many people to wonder where one of the highest-profile women in the world could possibly be.
In January, Kensington Palace attempted to quell speculation by announcing the princess had undergone planned abdominal surgery and would resume public duties sometime after Easter.
Advertisement
The Princess of Wales was last photographed at a Christmas morning service with her family at Sandringham Church on Dec. 25, 2023.
LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry said on Friday that he immediately arranged to go to London after his father, King Charles III, called to tell him he had cancer.
“I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could,” Harry told the US news programme Good Morning America. “I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go see and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.’’
Advertisement
Harry arrived from California less than 48 hours after Buckingham Palace announced on February 5 that the king had cancer and had begun treatment.
The visit between the monarch and his younger son at Clarence House was relatively brief, as Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, were seen leaving about an hour later.
The palace has not revealed the type of cancer the 75-year-old king has, saying only that it was discovered during a treatment for an enlarged prostate but isn’t prostate cancer.
The Duke of Sussex wouldn’t reveal any details about his father’s prognosis. “That stays between me and him,” he said.
Advertisement
Harry has had a troubled relationship with his family since he quit royal duties in 2020 and moved to Los Angeles with his wife, Meghan, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. He showed up alone for his father’s coronation in May but left as soon as the ceremony ended to return to California for his son’s birthday.
Asked if the illness could help reunify his family, Harry, speaking at an Invictus Games event near Vancouver, said, “Yeah, I’m sure.” He said he has witnessed that type of galvanizing effect among the wounded service members who compete in the games the prince founded in 2014.
“Throughout all these families, I see it on a day to day basis,” he said. “You know, again, the strength of the family unit coming together.”
King Charles caused quite the stir with his outfit choice during his keynote speech at COP28 on Friday.
While at first glance it may appear pretty subtle, upon closer inspection, the Greek flag appears to have been printed on the monarch’s blue and white tie, with a similar pattern seen on his pocket-square.
Advertisement
Earlier this week, prime minister Rishi Sunak triggered a diplomatic row with Greece when he decided to cancel a meeting with his Greek counterpart at the last minute.
No.10 claim it was because Kyriakos Mitsotakis broke his promise not to publicly discuss Greece’s demand for the UK to return the 2,500-year-old Elgin Marbles (or Parthenon sculptures) to their place of origin – Greece.
This has led to significant public backlash against Sunak for his supposed “petulance”.
Sending subtle political messages through clothing, while outwardly maintaining your place as an apolitical figurehead, was an art Charles’ mother Queen Elizabeth II was well-known for.
Worth looking closely, the King today, wearing a Greek flag tie at COP, after days of a simmering diplomatic row btw UK and Greek PM 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/CEwaFmBYW4
The Queen’s decision to wear a blue hat with yellow circles on it at the 2017 state opening of parliament was widely perceived as a sign of solidarity with the EU at a time when Brexit negotiations were pulling Westminster apart.
The Queen’s dresser Angela Kelly later denied any political intent behind the outfit, saying it “never occurred to her” that it would be comparable to the EU flag.
The King has managed to steer clear of direct intervention in politics since ascending the throne in September last year – as his role demands – despite his reputation as the “activist prince” when he was the heir apparent.
He does have Greek heritage through his father, the late Prince Philip who was born in Corfu as the Prince of Greece and Denmark, and has visited the European country on multiple occasions.
However, the King did also seem to wear the same tie last week, when meeting the South Korean president – before the Elgin Marbles row kicked off.
Advertisement
Charles meeting the South Korea president on November 21
So a royal apology during Charles’ first state visit to a Commonwealth country, ahead of Kenya’s 60th anniversary of independence, has been seen as apt for some.
Advertisement
Ahead of the royal visit, the Kenyan Human Rights Commission said that only “an unconditional and unequivocal public apology” for Britain’s colonial abuses – along with compensation – would be enough.
Why did King Charles not apologise for colonialism?
He, like his mother, is a constitutional monarch. As the Royal Family’s official website explains, this means “the ability to make and pass legislation resides with an elected parliament”, even though the sovereign is head of state.
And the sovereign “no longer has a political or executive role”, but continues to act as “a focus for national identity, unity and pride”.
Apologising for colonialism would err away from the official line the British government toes, therefore breaching his apolitical position.
Even when the UK offered £20 million of compensation to more than 5,000 Kenyans in 2013 after they suffered under colonial authorities during the state of emergency, then foreign secretary William Hague stopped short of an apology.
Advertisement
He just said the UK “sincerely regrets” its actions.
Neil Wigan, the UK high commissioner to Nairobi, told a local radio station last week a royal apology would take the King into “difficult legal territory”.
Britain’s King Charles III (CL) meets with Kenyan marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge (L) and other Kenyan runners during a visit to Karura Forest in Nairobi on November 1, 2023.
TONY KARUMBA via Getty Images
So what did Charles say during his visit?
On his first state visit to a Commonwealth state since he inherited the throne, the monarch expressed his “deepest regret” at the “unjustifiable acts of violence” the British forces carried out against Mau Mau rebels in the 1950s.
He said: “There were abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence committed against Kenyans,” by the colonial forces, therefore triggering a “painful struggle for independence and sovereignty”.
He added: “For that there can be no excuse.”
The King continued: “In coming back to Kenya, it matters greatly to me that I should deepen my own understanding of these wrongs, and that I meet some of those whose lives and communities were so grievously affected.
Advertisement
“None of this can change the past. But by addressing our history with honesty and openness we can, perhaps, demonstrate the strength of our friendship today. And, in so doing, we can, I hope, continue to build an ever-closer bond for the years ahead.”
Kenya’s President William Ruto welcoming Charles to Kenya
via Associated Press
How did Kenya respond?
His words were welcomed by Kenya’s president William Ruto who said the monarch was a “veteran visionary”.
He told Charles he appreciated the monarch’s “expression of willingness to acknowledge the painful aspects of our shared history” and praised “his exemplary courage and readiness to shed light on uncomfortable truths”.
Ruto said: “This is a highly encouraging first step, under your leadership, to deliver progress beyond tentative and equivocal half measures of past years.”
Advertisement
However, the president also called for “full reparations”, and said “much remains to be done” to achieve this.
Others such as David Ngasura, a historian from the Talai clan in western Kenya, told Reuters news agency that “acknowledgement alone is not enough”.
He said: “I am yet to hear him about compensation and reparations by the British government to the victims of historical injustices meted by the British colonial government.”
The 96-year-old monarch “died peacefully” at Balmoral in Scotland on Sept. 8, 2022, after an astounding 70-year reign.
Advertisement
“As we mourn a year on, we also celebrate the wonderful times we shared with Her Late Majesty the Queen,” Ferguson, also affectionately known as “Fergie,” wrote on social media Friday.
“She entrusted me with the care of her corgis Sandy and Muick and I am delighted to say they are thriving,” Fergie shared, alongside a photo of herself with the two pups.
As we mourn a year on, we also celebrate the wonderful times we shared with Her Late Majesty the Queen. She entrusted me with the care of her corgis Sandy and Muick and I am delighted to say they are thriving. pic.twitter.com/xlrXIDe53E
The late queen was known for her love of corgis, and owned over 30 dogs during her lifetime.
Though it was reported that the monarch was going to stop breeding corgis toward her last few years ― so she would not leave any of her animals behind after her death ― she was given two puppies by her son, Prince Andrew, during the coronavirus lockdown.
Advertisement
Though one of the dogs passed away shortly after being gifted to the queen, she was given another dog not long thereafter.
After the queen died in September 2022, Sandy and Muick were entrusted to the care of the Duke of York and Fergie.
The dogs memorably made an appearance at the queen’s funeral on Sept. 19, where they were shown waiting for their owner’s coffin to arrive at Windsor Castle.
Members of the Royal Household stand with the queen’s royal Corgis, Muick and Sandy, as they await the wait for the funeral cortege on Sept. 19, 2022, in Windsor.
Justin Setterfield via Getty Images
Members of the royal family paid tribute to the late monarch on Friday, each in their own way.
King Charles released a statement and audio recording shared with HuffPost on Thursday, saying that “we recall with great affection her long life, devoted service and all she meant to so many of us.”
Advertisement
In marking the first anniversary of Her late Majesty’s death and my Accession, we recall with great affection her long life, devoted service and all she meant to so many of us.
I am deeply grateful, too, for the love and support that has been shown to my wife and myself during… pic.twitter.com/NfM6LDWTA0
Prince William and Kate Middleton visited St Davids Cathedral in Wales, where the two honoured “Her Late Majesty and all that she did for communities like this around the UK, the Commonwealth and the world.”
In a personal message from the couple ― signed W&C ― the two also paid tribute to the queen on their social media accounts, writing “Today we remember the extraordinary life and legacy of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth. We all miss you.”
A moment of reflection at St Davids Cathedral honouring Her Late Majesty and all that she did for communities like this around the UK, the Commonwealth and the world. pic.twitter.com/44JXfwCc4S
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) September 8, 2023
Prince Harry, who was in the UK on Sept. 7 for the WellChild Awards, spoke of his grandmother during a speech at the event.
Advertisement
“As you know, I was unable to attend the awards last year, as my grandmother passed away,” the Duke of Sussex said. “As you also probably know, she would have been the first person to insist that I still come to be with you all instead of going to her. And that’s precisely why I know ― exactly one year on ― she is looking down on all of us tonight, happy we’re together continuing to spotlight such an incredible community.”
On Friday, the duke visited St George’s Chapel in Windsor, where the late queen was laid to rest. She is buried alongside her husband, Prince Philip, as well as her father, mother and sister, Princess Margaret.
