Carole Middleton Burst in tears after first visit to Kate Middleton at doctor’s appointment for scan
Princess Kate has been undergoing chemotherapy following her diagnosis of cancer, and her assistants have confirmed that she will remain off work until her doctors believe she can resume her duties.

The Princess of Wales underwent stomach surgery on January 16th after being diagnosed with a non-malignant condition.

Kensington Palace never confirmed her initial diagnosis, but in a video message recorded in March, Kate revealed that later tests showed the presence of cancer.

The surgery was initially deemed a success, and at the time of her cancer announcement in March, the palace still viewed the operation as a triumph.

After about 13 days of recovery according to the royal residence timetable, she was visited by both Prince William and King Charles III. Initially, the plan was for her to be out of public duties until after Easter, which would likely extend into the latter part of April due to school holidays. Further tests post-surgery identified that cancer was indeed present, and Kate began chemotherapy. A palace representative later confirmed that the princess started a precautionary chemotherapy course in late February.

Kate was still recovering from the physical trauma of the surgery when she received the difficult news and began treatment. During this period, media speculation about her absence from public life was rampant, with no photos of her since Christmas. The palace’s initial announcement did not seem to prepare the public for her total absence, sparking a wave of social media speculation about her whereabouts.

On UK Mother’s Day, the royal residence released the first official picture of Kate since her surgery, but it was later revealed that the photo had been photoshopped, for which the princess apologized on X (formerly Twitter). This incident added fuel to the speculation on social media, with conspiracy theories about her absence becoming increasingly wild.

On March 22, Kensington Palace released a video message in which Kate announced her cancer diagnosis and that she had started chemotherapy. “In January, I underwent significant stomach surgery in London, and at that time it was believed that my condition was non-malignant. The surgery was successful, but tests after the operation found cancer was present. My medical team advised me to undergo a course of precautionary chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of that treatment. This has come as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing our best to process and manage this privately for our young family.”

Associates indicated that Kate and Prince William had delayed revealing her diagnosis publicly partly to protect their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The children were at school at the time, meaning their mother’s health would likely have been a topic on the playground. When Kate’s video was released, they had broken up for the Easter holidays, allowing the family to handle the news privately.

Princess Kate had not been cleared by her doctors to return to work at the time of the announcement. The palace stated, “Kensington Palace will provide information when the time is right and the princess can restart her duties. The princess will return to official duties when she is cleared to do so by her medical team.” The spokesperson added that she is in good spirits and focused on making a full recovery.

The exact date of Kate’s return to work is heavily dependent on medical advice, and there is no indication it will be anytime soon. After July, the royals will also be on their summer holiday at Balmoral, their home in Scotland.