Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, revealed in March that she has been diagnosed with cancer. Amid this, a new royal biography has revealed that she had an emergency surgery as a teenager to remove a lump from her head, as per a report in the Independent. This was shared by royal author Rob Jobson in his upcoming book, ‘Catherine, the Princess of Wales’.

“Apart from debilitating bouts of morning sickness and, of course, stays in the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital to deliver her babies, Catherine has fortunately avoided hospital for most of her life,” Mr Jobson explained. “As a teenager, however, when at Marlborough College she discovered a lump on the left side of her head, just under her hairline,” he added.

The author added that her mother took her to the hospital where the doctors removed it. “The school notified her parents immediately and her mother Carole took her to hospital, where she had surgery to remove it,” he wrote in the book.

However, the operation left a three-inch scar which several people noticed on Ms Middleton’s first solo engagement over two decades ago. The Buckingham Palace shared a brief statement that read, “‘The scar is related to a childhood operation.”

Meanwhile, the Princess said in June that she was making good progress as she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy. However, she was “not out of the woods”.

In a personal written message, Ms Middleton said she had been “blown away” by the thousands of kind messages from across the globe which followed her cancer announcement in March. “I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days,” her statement said.

She added, “On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.” She said they had made a world of difference to her and her husband, heir-to-the-throne Prince William.

“My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months,” she said. “I’m looking forward to attending The King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join a few public engagements over the summer, but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet,” she said on June 14.

The Princess of Wales was recently seen at the Wimbledon Men’s final in London as she walked onto the court to present the trophy to winner Carlos Alcaraz. A passionate tennis fan and player herself, Kate was greeted with a thunderous ovation as she entered the Royal Box at Centre Court, accompanied by her daughter Princess Charlotte and sister Pippa Matthews.

 

Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, revealed in March that she has been diagnosed with cancer. The Princess added that she is currently undergoing preventative chemotherapy. In a video message, released on X (formerly Twitter) by Kensington Palace, Kate Middleton added she is in the “early stages of that treatment.” Amid this, Prince William has now shared an update on his wife’s health, as per E! Online.

A person in the crowd inquired about Ms Middleton and their three children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 6, during the Prince of Wales’s April 30 appearance at the James Place Newcastle grand opening. “All doing well, thank you. We’re all doing well,” Prince William said in the footage going viral on social media.

Notably, the 42-year-old Princess called the cancer discovery a “huge shock”. The news came as a fresh health blow to the British royal family as King Charles is also undergoing cancer treatment. She spent two weeks in hospital in January after undergoing what her office said at the time was successful, planned surgery for an unspecified but non-cancerous condition. However, Kate Middleton said in a video message that subsequent tests had revealed cancer had been found. She said she was well and getting stronger.

“My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment,” said Kate. She added, “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.”

Meanwhile, in recognition of Ms Middleton’s growing role within the royal family, King Charles bestowed a new title upon her. She will now also be known as The Royal Companion of The Order of the Companions of Honour. This prestigious honour coincided with the birthday of her youngest son, Prince Louis, who turned six on April 24.

London:

After weeks of wild speculation, British people on Saturday digested the shock news that Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, has cancer, many praising her courage.

Others criticised the conspiracies that spread over her absence.

Kate Middleton revealed the news in a highly personal video released Friday, just weeks after King Charles III said he too is battling cancer.

The candid disclosure leaves the British monarchy in crisis with two of its most senior members simultaneously fighting serious illness.

Charles — 17 months into his reign when Buckingham Palace announced in February he would be cancelling all public engagements — led tributes to his “beloved daughter-in-law”.

The ailing 75-year-old monarch spoke of his pride in “her courage in speaking as she did”.

Following other warm words from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the White House, British newspapers hailed the courage of the 42-year-old wife of Prince William, heir to the throne.

“Kate, you are not alone” read the front of The Sun. The tabloid said it was “hugely comforting” to hear Kate say she was getting stronger.

“Perhaps the world will now appreciate why so much secrecy surrounded her surgery in January,” it added.

The Daily Mail tabloid denounced the “social media trolls who have been peddling disgusting conspiracy theories to explain her absence from public life.”

‘Privacy’ demand

Outside Kensington Palace in London, Nathaniel Taylor, a 24-year-old government worker, said: “I think it’s really damning what happened to them, what the media has done, how they’ve reacted over these past couple of months.

“I think some speculation is inevitable but the lengths people were going to try and make things up it’s just (too much). Hopefully people take a look in the mirror.”

At Tower Bridge, Sofia, a 19-year-old student who did not give her family name, said she had seen “weird accusations” about the absence and that the true reason was “sad”.

“Obviously it was a much (more) serious matter”, she said.

In her statement, Kate, as the princess is widely known, admitted the diagnosis was a “huge shock” and asked for “time, space and privacy” as she completes chemotherapy.

In the video — recorded Wednesday in Windsor, west of London, where the future queen and king live with their three young children — she insisted she was “well”.

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 and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,” Kate added.

Commentators commended the frank nature of the video, which showed the princess speaking directly to the camera while sitting on a garden bench.

“So many people will have been so moved by the way that she conducted herself during that two minute plus broadcast,” royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told AFP.

“But there’s no doubt at all that it’s a very, very difficult time for the institution of monarchy,” he added.

Royal health woes

Buckingham Palace announced on February 5 that tests had identified Charles had “a form of cancer” without giving further details.

He has cancelled all public engagements except audiences with the prime minister and ambassadors, and worked on official papers while receiving treatment.

He has been photographed several times since then, and seen attending church.

Kate was last seen at a public engagement on December 25.

Kensington Palace announced on January 17 that she faced up to two weeks in hospital and several months’ recuperation following abdominal surgery.

She was not expected to be ready to return to public duties until after Easter on March 31, a statement at the time said.

‘Doing their best’

But Kate disclosed tests after the operation “found cancer had been present” and that she was now undergoing “preventative chemotherapy”.

Kensington Palace said she would return to official duties “when she is cleared to do so by her medical team”.

“Preventive chemotherapy after surgery is given to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back in the future,” Andrew Beggs, a senior clinical fellow and consultant colorectal surgeon at the University of Birmingham, said.

He added it was “a bit like mopping a floor with bleach when you’ve spilt something on it,” noting chemotherapy “kills any spilt cells”.

In the meantime, the royal family is facing a staffing crisis with two members facing serious health duties and others stepping back from frontline duties.

William’s younger brother Harry and wife Meghan quit the royal frontline in 2020 and now live in the US, largely estranged from the family following the acrimonious split.

The king’s remaining brother Andrew is also out of commission, stepping down from royal duties in 2019 after a disastrous television interview in which he defended his friendship with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)