Kate Middleton, 42, on Friday (March 22) released a video message where she disclosed her cancer diagnosis and that she is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Princess Kate revealed that she discovered her cancer after her 'abdominal surgery'. However, she didn't reveal what type of cancer she has. Kate also added that she is now in the early stages of her cancer treatment. It is to be noted that the Princess of Wales has been out of the media glare for few months, leading to speculations and gossips surrounding her disappearance from the public's eye.
Kate also said that her husband Prince William has always been by her side and supportive. In the same video, she said, "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''.
Who is Kate Middleton?
Kate Middleton was born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton on January 9, 1982. Her parents Michael Middleton and Carole (née Goldsmith) worked at British Airways. She is the eldest of their three children.
Kate Middleton's education
Kate attended an English-language nursery school in Jordan. Later, she was enrolled at St Andrew's School, in Berkshire. In 1995, her family moved to the village of Bucklebury where she studied at Downe House School. She was in a boarding at Marlborough College, in Wiltshire. She was very good in sports and was the women's field hockey team captain.
She was offered a seat at the University of Edinburgh, but took a gap of a year, as she studied at the British Institute of Florence, Italy and travelled to Chile to participate in a Raleigh International programme. Middleton enrolled at the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland, where she studied art history. Before that she studied psychology and then shifted her focus to art history. She also achieved a gold Duke of Edinburgh Award while attending university. She graduated from the University of St Andrews with an undergraduate MA (2:1 Hons) in art history in 2005.
How did Kate Middleton meet Prince William?
In 2001, Kate Middleton and Prince William met each other at St Andrews University while they were students. Reportedly, they started dating in 2003. It is said that in 2004, they called it quits but later reconciled. Their relationship became the talk of the town and they became the subjects of public scrutiny. In April 2007, Kate and William again ended their relationship but they again rekinled as per reports. Kate attended the Order of the Garter procession at Windsor Castle in June 2008, where William was made a Royal Knight of the Garter. She was part of several occasions of the royal family. In June 2010, they moved into a cottage on the Bodorgan Estate in Anglesey, Wales.
Kate Middleton and Prince William's wedding
In October 2010, Middleton and William got engaged in Kenya where they were on a 10-day trip to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to celebrate William passing the RAF helicopter search and rescue course. Their engagement was announced by the Clarence House on November 16, 2010. For the engagement, Prince William gave Kate the ring that was of his mother, Princess Diana. They tied the knot on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey.
How many children do Kate and William have?
On July 22, 2013, Kate and William welcomed their first child who they named Prince George. They became parents to their second child, a baby girl on May 2, 2015. She is Princess Charlotte and welcomed Prince Louis, their third child on April 23, 2018.
Kate's health and her sudden disappearance from the public's eye
In January 2024, she was admitted to The London Clinic where she underwent "major" abdominal surgery. She avoided all the public engagements, gatherings and duties until after Easter that year. Her absence gave rise to several conspiracy theories and she grabbed the headlines for it. Now that the princess has revealed her cancer diagnosis, all the speculations are put to rest.
We wish Kate Middleton a speedy recovery!
