The Princess of Wales revealed that she has initiated a regimen of preventive chemotherapy after receiving an unexpected cancer diagnosis in late February.
In a deeply personal and touching video message, Kate, aged 42, expressed gratitude to the public for their support as she recuperated from abdominal surgery.
She explained about her operation, saying: “In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present.
“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.”
However, the Princess has not disclosed what type of cancer she has, with a Kensington Palace announced: “We will not be sharing any further private medical information. The Princess has a right to medical privacy, as we all do. The Princess is now on a recovery pathway having commenced a course of preventative chemotherapy.”
Similarly, when King Charles’ cancer diagnosis was confirmed on February 5th, Buckingham Palace refrained from disclosing the specific type of cancer for which the monarch is receiving treatment.
However, his transparency regarding his diagnosis starkly contrasts with the handling of his late grandfather King George VI’s health issues. King George VI passed away during the night of February 6th, 1952, at Sandringham House.
Despite surviving a significant operation to remove his left lung in September 1951, he ultimately succumbed to a blood clot just a few months later. The blood clot led to a coronary thrombosis, resulting in the blockage of the coronary arteries supplying blood to the heart, ultimately causing sudden collapse and fatal heart failure. His death came as a shock to both the public and the royal family, as even the King himself was not fully informed about the severity of his illness.
