Why Kate Middleton Waited to Share Her Diagnosis With the World
MORAY, SCOTLAND - NOVEMBER 02: Catherine, Princess of Wales, known as the Duchess of Rothesay when in Scotland, meets farmers at Brodieshill Farm, Moray, Scotland, to learn about efforts being made to better support the mental health and wellbeing of young people on November 02, 2023 in Moray, Scotland. Prince William, Duke of Rothesay and Catherine, Duchess of Rothesay are visiting Scotland to meet organisations supporting rural communities and those working provide mental health support to young people through access to the outdoors and practical learning. (Photo by Jane Barlow - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Following two months of widespread speculation about Kate Middleton’s wellbeing, members of the public have questions about why the royal waited to provide an update on her health even as she shared her cancer diagnosis with the world on Fri., March 22.
In an emotional video shared by Kensington Palace, the Princess of Wales explained that tests conducted after she underwent an abdominal surgery in January revealed that she had cancer, though she did not identify the type of cancer she is battling. The 42-year-old royal said she is “now in the early stages” of preventative chemotherapy 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,” she said, adding that it “has taken time” for her to recover from the surgery and for her and Prince William to “explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I’m going to be okay.”
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Some royal experts have said that the princess’ children are likely the reason she and the Prince of Wales held off on announcing her diagnosis. With Prince Louis the youngest at 5 and Prince George the oldest at 10, explaining her condition to them and preparing them for media coverage of her announcement likely took time, according to Victoria Murphy, a royal contributor with ABC News.
It also helps that the three children are currently on a short break from school ahead of the Easter holiday. Murphy told ABC’s Good Morning America that Kate and William can now “take the children away from their school environment, keep them in a bubble with them and really protect them from the outside world” as the public digests Kate’s announcement. An unnamed source with knowledge about the royal family also told CNN that the royal couple likely waited to reveal Kate’s diagnosis until the start of their kids’ Easter holiday break.
After weeks of swirling rumors and conspiracy theories, the princess indicated in her video message that she is hopeful the public will now allow her family some distance as her battle with cancer continues.
“We hope that you’ll understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment,” she said.
