AFP PHOTO / BBC STUDIOS / PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES
Catherine, Princess of Wales, on Friday announced that she has cancer and is in the early stages of chemotherapy, asking for "time, space and privacy" as she completes her treatment.
Kate, as she is widely known, said the discovery of cancer, after successful abdominal surgery in January, was a huge shock, but she was well and getting stronger every day.
The 42-year-old princess, whose husband Prince William is heir to the throne, did not disclose the exact nature of the cancer.
The announcement came after royal officials said in February that King Charles III was being treated for cancer, forcing him to cancel all public engagements.
A message from Catherine, The Princess of Wales pic.twitter.com/5LQT1qGarK
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 22, 2024
William's estranged US-based brother Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle said they wished "health and healing for Kate and the family".
Kate -- one of the most photographed women in the world -- is a central figure in the royal family and married Prince William, 41, in 2011.
She said it had taken them time to explain the situation to Prince George, aged 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Prince Louis, "and to reassure them that I am going to be OK".
William, Kate and their children are seen as the modern face of the British royal family, and key to its future as it faces declining support, particularly among younger people.
Palace officials will be hoping that the unusually candid disclosure will end speculation and rumours about her health and whereabouts, particularly online.
