Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, praised Princess Kate Middleton over how she handled disclosing her cancer diagnosis.
“Incredible strength and poise,” Spencer, 59, wrote via X on Saturday, March 23, reposting Kensington Palace’s video of Kate, 42, sharing the news.
Spencer is the younger brother of Diana, who died in 1997 at the age of 36. The late Princess of Wales is the mother of sons Prince William, who is married to Kate, and Prince Harry, who wed Meghan Markle in 2018. (Diana shared her sons with ex-husband King Charles III.)
Kate confirmed on Friday, March 22, in a video shared by the palace that she had been diagnosed with a form of cancer but did not disclose further details.
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“In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous,” Kate said in the video. “The surgery was successful, however, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy, and I’m now in the early stages of that treatment.”
She continued: “William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family. As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment.”
Kate and William, 41, share three children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5. They decided to wait to publicly share Kate’s diagnosis until they had a chance to tell their kids first, opting to wait until their school went on Easter break.
In the video, Kate stoically sat on a bench on the grounds of Windsor Castle as she explained her condition and treatment plans. She reassured royal watchers that she is focused on making a full recovery and listening to her doctors’ medical advice.
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Much like Spencer, royal expert Christopher Andersen praised how Kate has handled the difficult situation.
“This is all so shocking, and, frankly, heartbreaking. It is hard to imagine anyone who could have handled this situation with more courage and grace than Kate,” Andersen, who wrote the 2011 biography William and Kate: A Royal Love Story, exclusively told Us Weekly on Friday. “I understand completely why she wanted to protect her children.”
King Charles III, Kate’s father-in-law, also gushed over the princess’ strength throughout the ordeal.
“His Majesty is so proud of Catherine for her courage and speaking as she did. Following their time in hospital together, His Majesty has remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks,” Charles, 75, said in a statement on Friday. “Both their Majesties [Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla] will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family throughout this difficult time.
Charles has also been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer, limiting his public appearances as he receives treatment.
