The Princess of Wales has announced she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy treatment following her major abdominal surgery in January.
On Friday evening, the Princess of Wales addressed the nation in a heartfelt televised statement, recorded in Windsor on Wednesday.
The mother-of-three thanked the public for their 'wonderful messages of support' and understanding during her recovery from abdominal surgery in January.
Addressing the reason why she has chosen to take her time before sharing news of her diagnosis, she explained she and husband Prince William wanted to first explain the situation to their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
'It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but I’ve had a fantastic medical team who have taken great care of me, for which I am so grateful,' she explained.
'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. 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. 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.'
Addressing individuals who have also received cancer diagnoses, she added: 'Please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.'
Royal sources have confirmed King Charles and Queen Camilla had been informed of the princess’s condition and of her public statement ahead of Friday's broadcast.
The news comes after weeks of speculation surrounding Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales', health after she released an edited photograph of her and the three children on March 10 for Mother's Day . She later released a statement saying she had edited the photograph, which caused further newsfeeds about why.
Kate was last seen in public on Christmas Day with the rest of the Royal family. She and Prince William also shared a personal holiday message on Instagram that same day, which marked the last message Kate shared on their social media account. 'Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, from our family to yours! W & C,' read the caption. The photo was of their three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
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