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.
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“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.
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“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.”
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.
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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”.
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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.
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It is common for tissues taken during surgery to be analysed at a lab afterwards, and that’s when other conditions may be detected.
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.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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.
In a video posted Friday by BBC News correspondent Chi Chi Izundu, the Princess of Wales is seen speaking on a phone and asking, “Are you feeling OK?”
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She later adds, “I hope you get better soon.”
Kate was talking to the aunt of a Texas woman named Debbie Hoover, who was in a crowd near Buckingham Palace on Friday. The aunt, who lives in Tennessee, couldn’t fly to the UK for the British monarch’s ceremony Saturday because she broke her leg, according to Izundu.
Here is Princess Kate talking to the aunt of Debbie Hoover. Debbie is from Texas, her aunt is in Tennessee and broke her leg and couldn’t fly with the family for the #Coronationpic.twitter.com/ndtdzX2nwQ
The call took place as Charles, Kate and Prince William held a surprise walkabout to greet supporters gathered by the palace.
Another person in the crowd, Theresa Iredale, told The Associated Press that she trembled when Charles approached her after she yelled to him.
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“I saw his hand coming out to mine and I was like, ‘I can’t believe I’m shaking the king’s hand,’” Iredale said.
Both Charles and Queen Camilla are set to be crowned at Westminster Abbey as part of this weekend’s event. Other coronation festivities include a Sunday concert at Windsor Castle, where Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and others are scheduled to perform.
Richie told Extra last month that the invitation to participate in the show was a “highlight” in his life.
Princess Charlotte’s eighth birthday is kicking off a historic time of celebrations for the royal family.
Prince William and Kate Middleton marked the special occasion by sharing a photo of their middle child taken by the Princess of Wales in Windsor over the weekend.
In the photo, Charlotte is seen wearing a white dress with colorful flowers on it, while showing off the biggest grin (and a few missing teeth). The young princess bears a striking resemblance to both her father and her late great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth.
Kensington Palace on Saturday shared a relaxed photo of the couple during a bike ride, which was part of a series of photos taken of the family last year. The photos were shot in Windsor by one of the couple’s favored photographers, Matt Porteous.
Other snaps from the family photo shoot were used to commemorate the UK’s Mother’s Day, as well as in the Wales family Christmas card last year.
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Just last month, William and Kate’s youngest child, Prince Louis, celebrated his 5th birthday.
The photos were a break from family tradition, as they were taken by photographer Millie Pilkington. Generally, the family’s birthday photos are taken by Kate, who is an avid photographer. For this birthday, the Princess of Wales made a surprise cameo in one of the photos with a grinning Louis.
As of Monday, the British royal family is just five days away from King Charles and Queen Camilla’s historic coronation ― the first the UK has seen in seven decades.
It is expected that Princess Charlotte will accompany her parents to the Westminster Abbey ceremony, though it hasn’t been officially confirmed by Kensington Palace.
Prince George will also be a part of the monumental occasion, as he’s nabbed a role as one of four Pages of Honour during the service on Saturday.
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“His parents are very excited and delighted that he is a page,” a spokesperson for the Prince and Princess of Wales told People magazine in April. “It’s something that his parents have thought long and hard about and are very much looking forward to — and I’m sure George is too.”
Kate Middleton and Prince William rang in their 12th wedding anniversary on Saturday, as Kensington Palace released a new photo of the couple to mark the special occasion.
“12 years ❤️,” reads the Instagram caption for the picture, which was taken by one of the couple’s favored photographers, Matt Porteous.
In the relaxed shot, the Prince and Princess of Wales are posed on bicycles with their arms around each other, smiling at the camera. Both are dressed in casual outfits, with William in a blue collared shirt, jeans and sunglasses.
Kate wears a patterned white shirt, jeans and white sneakers, while carrying a crossbody purse.
The photo might look familiar to any avid royal watcher, as it was among those taken at the family’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England, last year.
William and Kate used one of those snaps for their 2022 Christmas card, which featured their three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Other photos from the shoot were used to mark Mother’s Day in the UK.
The Princess of Wales recently made a cameo in another royal family picture to mark Louis’ 5th birthday last weekend. A smiling Kate was shown carrying Louis as he perched in a wheelbarrow with a big grin on his face.
The new picture of Louis was taken by photographer Millie Pilkington, in a break from tradition. Normally, Kate takes shots of her family for big milestones, as she is an avid photographer herself.
The royals are gearing up for a historic weekend next month, as the UK prepares for the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
Prince George, a future heir to the throne, is set to play a major role in the ceremony, as he will be one of his grandfather’s pages of honour on May 6.
Kate Middleton donned a dazzling tiara at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday for a very special occasion: King Charles’ first state banquet as monarch.
The banquet was held on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa’s state visit, which also marks the first state visit for Charles as sovereign. The trip was originally scheduled prior to the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September at age 96.
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The Princess of Wales wore the Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot tiara with earrings that once belonged to Princess Diana, as identified by Lauren Kiehna, the writer and editor behind The Court Jeweller.
Kiehna also identified that Kate paired the tiara with an equally stunning dress ― with bejeweled shoulders, no less ― from one of her favourite go-to designers, Jenny Packham.
Prince William dressed in white tie for the glamorous occasion.
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Earlier in the day, the Prince and Princess of Wales greeted Ramaphosa at the Corinthia Hotel to kick off his two-day visit.
From there, the group traveled to Horse Guards Parade for a welcome ceremony, where they met Charles and Camilla before undertaking more engagements.
The Prince and Princess of Wales will soon undertake a visit of their own, as the two are making a trip across the pond next week to Boston, Massachusetts, for William’s second annual Earthshot Prize award ceremony.
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“In 2022, we’re back and bringing Earthshot to the USA, where we’ll award the next five winners of the prize,” the duke said in a video back in July announcing the visit. “And we will be doing it right here in Boston.”
Hannah Jones, CEO of the Earthshot Prize, previously spoke with HuffPost in September about the significance of holding the award show in Boston.
“It’s the 60th anniversary, as you know, of the ‘Moonshot,’” Jones told HuffPost at the Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit in New York City. “And that was really a great source of inspiration to Prince William when he founded the Earthshot Prize, which was to try to inspire what President Kennedy inspired in the American people.”
Jones said that she hopes that this year’s award show “gives everybody inspiration and it rekindles that American mindset of turning the seemingly impossible possible.”