United Kingdom: Princess Kate announces she has cancer
Princess Kate, very popular wife of the heir to the throne, announced on Friday March 22 that she was suffering from cancer. Without specifying its nature, she said she had started chemotherapy, citing a “
huge shock
”, but said she was “
doing well
”. The announcement comes after months of controversy and speculation over his public absence.
Princess of Wales Kate, alongside Prince William, during the ceremony welcoming the President and First Lady of the Republic of Korea at Horse Guards Parade, London, November 21, 2023. © Chris Jackson / AP
By: RFI with AFP
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Bad news is piling up for the royal family for whom the Princess of Wales represents a major asset. Kate, whose absence has sparked the wildest rumors in recent weeks, spoke, looking exhausted and tired, in a video filmed on Wednesday and broadcast on Friday. “
In January I had a major abdominal operation in London. At the time, it was judged that I was not suffering from cancer
, explained the 42-year-old princess.
However, tests after the operation revealed the presence of cancer
,” she continued, speaking of a “
huge shock
”.
Earlier, on February 5, Buckingham Palace announced that 75-year-old King Charles III, who acceded to the throne in September 2022,
had himself been diagnosed with cancer
.
The princess's medical team advised her to follow “
preventive chemotherapy
”. “
I am now in the early stages of this treatment
,” Kate said. However, she assured: “
I’m fine
.” “
It took us a while to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis
,” her three children with Prince William, she said. “
Like I told them, I’m fine. I gain strength every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal.
»
The Princess of Wales, who is adored by the British, said she hoped the public would understand that her family “needs
time and respect for our space and our private lives
” during treatment. Charles III said Friday evening that he was “
proud of the courage
” of Kate for revealing her illness.
Also read: The finances of the British royal family, one of the United Kingdom's best-kept secrets
Rumors surrounding his absence and photo fiasco
The princess's state of health had been a concern for more than two months. He was also the source of numerous speculations. On January 17, Kensington Palace announced that Kate had undergone a major abdominal operation the day before in a London clinic. The palace then warned that she would not return to her public functions before Easter.
He did not give any other details, but passed the information on to British royal correspondents that it was not cancer.
While the princess is usually one of the most photographed women on the planet, her long convalescence and the absence of information have fueled rumors and wild speculation for weeks. The palace failed to stop them.
On March 10, for British Mother's Day, Kensington
released an official photo of Kate smiling
surrounded by her three children, the first since Christmas. But after the photo was removed by major international agencies, Kate admitted that it had been photoshopped,
further fueling speculation
.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday wished the princess a “
full and speedy
” recovery, while the White House said it was “
extremely sad
” at the news of her illness.
Also read March 13, 2023 – “Kate gate”
A popular and essential figure of the royal family
The Princess of Wales is one of the most popular figures in the royal family, with her image perfect and glamour. Kate, William and their three children
reside in a private property in Windsor
, west London. They married in 2011 at Westminster Abbey. Smiling and elegant, she has established herself over the years as an essential figure in the British royal family. The British press sees her as a model member of the monarchy.
Nothing predestined Kate Middleton, a commoner, to this royal life. His mother, a flight attendant, and his father, an air traffic controller, then made their fortune by starting a party supplies company.
Her meeting with William
at the Scottish University of St Andrews, which she joined in 2001 to study art history, decided otherwise.
Kate is the third member of the royal family to announce she has cancer since the start of the year. Before Charles, Sarah Ferguson, Prince Andrew's ex-wife, said in January that she had malignant melanoma, a serious skin cancer.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said Friday that Princess Kate will return to official duties “
as soon as her medical team clears her
.” “
She is in good spirits and working towards a full recovery
,” the spokesperson added.
Read alsoUnited Kingdom: an investigation opened against the clinic which treated Kate Middleton
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