“Tests after the operation found cancer had been present.” With that sentence, in a video filmed at Windsor, Catherine, Princess of Wales, told the public on 22 March 2024 that she has cancer.
She is 42. In January she had major abdominal surgery at The London Clinic, and at the time it was thought her condition was non-cancerous. Her medical team then advised a course of preventative chemotherapy, which she began in late February. “I am now in the early stages of that treatment,” she said. Kensington Palace said earlier that the surgery was non-cancerous, and confirmed again that no test had shown cancer until the post-operative results came back.
Sitting on a bench among daffodils and spring blossom, she called the news “a huge shock”. She said she and Prince William had tried to handle it privately “for the sake of our young family.”
Telling the children
The family needed time to explain things to George, Charlotte and Louis “in a way that is appropriate for them”, she said, and to reassure them she is going to be ok. The announcement came on the day the children broke up from school for Easter, which gave the couple a chance to take them away from the attention. George is 10, Charlotte eight and Louis five.
“I am well and getting stronger every day,” she said. William, she added, is “a great source of comfort and reassurance.”
What the palace will say
Kensington Palace will not say what type of cancer it is or what stage, and has asked people not to speculate. It also will not say how long treatment will last or where it is taking place. “The Princess has a right to medical privacy, as we all do,” a spokesman said. The palace described her as on a “recovery pathway” and in good spirits.
“We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment,” Catherine said. Her work, she said, has always brought her deep joy and she looks forward to being back when she is able.
The King, who is himself having cancer treatment, said he was “so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did”. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said she has “the love and support of the whole country”. Joe Biden was “incredibly sad to hear of the news”, according to the White House.
Her message to other patients was short. “For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.”
Anyone worried about a symptom that is not normal for them should see a doctor. It may not be cancer, but finding it early can often make it easier to treat.
