Kate Middleton: What we know about the princess's cancer diagnosis so far

Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, announced this Friday (22) that she was diagnosed with cancer and is in the “early stages” of chemotherapy treatment.

The princess described her diagnosis as a “huge shock” in a video filmed at BBC studios in Windsor on Wednesday (20).

“We hope you understand that as a family we now need some time, space and privacy while I finish my treatment,” said the princess. “My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I can, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery.”

Here's what we know about the princess's diagnosis so far:

Few details

Kate, 42, who is married to heir to the British throne Prince William, did not say what type of cancer she was diagnosed with and Kensington Palace is not expected to reveal further medical details, such as what stage the cancer is at.

Abdominal surgery

The announcement comes two months after Kate temporarily stepped away from public life following what Kensington Palace said at the time was surgery for a non-cancerous abdominal condition. She remained in a London hospital for 13 days after the procedure. Kate was seen in public last weekend for the first time since January, visiting a store with her husband.

Preventive chemotherapy

The princess began preventative chemotherapy at the end of February, a royal source told CNN . She was expected to return to official duties after Easter. However, she will now hold off on further work until she is cleared by her medical team, the source said.

Reactions

The news generated an outpouring of sympathy and support from public figures around the world, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, King Charles, Prince Harry and Meghan, the head of England's National Health Service, Kate's brother, James Middleton, French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as White House and US First Lady Jill Biden.

King Charles III also has cancer

Kate's diagnosis is a devastating blow to the British monarchy, as King Charles III is currently undergoing treatment for an unspecified cancer, which was announced in early February.

How to tell children

In the time Kate spent away from the public before revealing her cancer diagnosis, one of her biggest priorities was finding the right way to tell her children, she said. A CNN understands that the royal couple wanted to wait for their children to get out of school for the Easter holidays before making an announcement.