Kate Middleton came out in public to put all conspiracy theories to rest, releasing a statement with an accompanying video addressing the revelations that surfaced following her stomach surgery. On March 22, the Princess stated that she was “in the initial stages of a preventive chemotherapy course.” Although chemotherapy is commonly recognized as a medication treatment used to treat cancer and kill cancer cells, Kate expressly mentioned the sort of surgery she was having.
The same video also reveals the extensive timeline of her disease’s discovery. In January 2024, Middleton had significant abdominal surgery in London. At the time, her ailment was considered non-cancerous, and the surgery was completed satisfactorily. “However, tests after the operation revealed that cancer had been present,” stated the Duchess, who was then advised to undergo the prophylactic chemotherapy treatment. Kate shed information on the treatment she was receiving, but she did not reveal the sort of cancer she had.
What is preventive chemotherapy?
Dr. Ben Ho, director of precision oncology at Park Vanderbilt School of Medicine, told Today.com that preventive chemotherapy is neither technical nor clinical. However, it can be traced back to a treatment description that comes after an initial procedure, such as surgery to combat cancer. Park said that a more appropriate medical phrase to comprehend Kate’s circumstance would be “adjuvant chemotherapy.”
He explained that whether chemotherapy is the appropriate next step is determined depending on the stage/type of cancer and, in some cases, the patient’s age. Although surgeons try to eliminate everything they can find during preventive chemotherapy, some cancer cells may remain in the body. If these are not treated, cancer “may come back later and is then incurable.”
Kate’s ailment is still unknown, but Dr. Park feels that the treatment she is undergoing is “trying to maximize” the favorable results of the previous procedure she underwent. Dr. Park explained that the most prevalent cancers connected with abdominal surgery are urinary, genital, and gastrointestinal. However, Kate has not revealed what type of cancer she has been diagnosed with. Here’s a basic timeline of her illness:
Timeline of Kate Middleton’s illness
January 17: Kensington Palace states that Kate’s “planned abdominal surgery” was successful and that she will be in the hospital for approximately two weeks. The initial plan indicated that she would resume her royal duties after Easter.
January 29: KP delivers another statement regarding the Princess’ return to Windsor, as she continues to recover following surgery. “She is making good progress,” read the official notice.
March 10: The Palace appears to have uploaded a carefully cropped Mother’s Day portrait of Kate with her three children, George, Charlotte, and Louis, online in an attempt to quell growing speculation and conspiracy theories regarding her absence. However, it all backfires as the ‘Photo Gate’ controversy becomes out of control. The photo was marked as an “altered photo/video” on social media, with several other media sites ‘killing’ it.
These edited pics fueled the flames, raising even more doubts about Kate Middleton’s health and what the Palace was hiding from the public. A day or more later, Kate issues a rare apology statement, acknowledging that she experimented with the shot.
March 11: Princess Catherine walks out with Prince William in a blue vehicle and is photographed outside Windsor. The Prince attends the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey alone. Kate is said to be heading the other way for a “personal appointment”. The March 11 photo does not show Kate’s face, prompting more speculation that the woman in the photo is not Middleton at all.
March 18: First sight of Kate Middleton following surgery – She’s been photographed “happy, relaxed, and healthy,” in the local supermarket, Windsor Farm Shop, with Prince William.
March 22: The Princess of Wales comes out to announce that she’s been diagnosed with cancer and started preventive chemotherapy.