Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, finally clarified the reason for her absence from the public over the past months.
In a pre-recorded video on the Kensington Palace's X (formerly Twitter) account, Middleton announced being treated for cancer and is currently in the early stages of "preventive chemotherapy."
A message from Catherine, The Princess of Wales pic.twitter.com/5LQT1qGarK
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 22, 2024
The Princess asked the public to understand the long period of silence and hope for "some time, space, and privacy while I complete my treatment."
Middleton is the second member of the British Royal Family currently diagnosed with cancer, just a few weeks after King Charles III also announced undergoing cancer treatment.
Kate Middleton Photo Sparks Controversies Around Royal Family
The announcement came after a recent photo of Middleton and her children during Mother's Day was pulled from news outlets after being determined to be "digitally manipulated."
The ensuing "kill order" from major news organizations has sparked massive online rumors and speculations on social media regarding Middleton's health and marriage, many of which compared her situation to the late Princess Diana.
Middleton later admitted to "occasionally experimenting with editing" and apologized for confusing the people.
The Princess of Wales was last seen public before undergoing a major abdominal surgery, which according to Middleton, was also the time they found out she had cancer.
Edited Kate Middleton Mother's Day Photo Sparks More Manipulated Images Finds
Aside from the surge of online gossip on Middleton and Prince William's marital status, the Streisand Effect of the manipulated image has caused other pictures of the family found out to be "digitally enhanced."
Getty Images earlier alerted news outlets to remove a Royal Family picture of Middleton, the late Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandchildren over reasons to believe that it was altered.
The picture was supposedly taken at the Family's residence on the Balmoral Castle in August 2022, just a few months before Queen Elizabeth II died.
The Buckingham Palace and its representatives have yet to respond to the new findings.
