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Kate, the Princess of Wales, announced that she has been diagnosed with cancer and is in the “early stages” of treatment.
In a taped video statement released Friday, Kate said she underwent successful abdominal surgery in January, and her condition was believed to be non-cancerous.
However, tests after the operation “found that cancer had been present,” she said, adding that she is undergoing a course of “preventative chemotherapy” on the advice of her medical team.
The announcement comes amid a public relations disaster for the royal family after they released a digitally-altered photo of Kate and her children, fueling speculation and concerns about her health given her months-long absence from the public eye.
Last month, the royal family revealed that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer, but did not specify what type of cancer.
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Kate, 42, said that she waited to make the public announcement so that she and her husband, William, the Prince of Wales, had time to “explain everything” to their three young children “in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that [Kate] is going to be OK.”
Like King Charles, Kate did not specify what type of cancer she had, and her diagnosis eerily echoes the King’s own cancer journey after doctors discovered the disease during treatment for an enlarged prostate.
“I am well, and getting stronger everyday by focusing on the things that will help me heal in my mind, body, and spirits,” Kate said. “We hope that you’ll understand that as a family, we now need some time, space, and privacy while I complete my treatment.”
The information vacuum on Kate’s condition have led to dozen conspiracy theories about the Royal Family.