Kate Middleton has announced that she is in remission after revealing her cancer diagnosis just under a year ago.
Last March, the Princess of Wales announced that she had been undergoing treatment for cancer after planned abdominal surgery earlier in the year. The announcement had followed weeks of public speculation about the Princess and her whereabouts.
While Kate has never publicly disclosed the type of cancer she has, the Princess shared numerous health updates in the following months - including a confirmation that she had completed a course of preventative chemotherapy the following September.
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In a new update on her health shared on social media, The Prince and Princess of Wales' official X account shared a photograph of Kate visiting The Royal Marsden cancer hospital, where she is now a patron of, alongside the confirmation that she was now in remission.
Her statement began: "I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year.
"My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything.
"We couldn’t have asked for more. The care and advice we have received throughout my time as a patient has been exceptional."
She continued: "In my new role as Joint Patron of The Royal Marsden, my hope is, that by supporting groundbreaking research and clinical excellence, as well as promoting patient and family wellbeing, we might save many more lives, and transform the experience of all those impacted by cancer.
"It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focussed on recovery. As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support. C."
Earlier today it was announced the Princess had made a visit to the hospital in Chelsea, west London where she had undergone her chemotherapy and could be seen speaking to patients undergoing similar treatments.
Reflecting on her treatment journey she said (via The Guardian): "It’s really tough. It’s such a shock. Everyone said to me please keep a positive mindset, it makes such a difference.
"It’s the uncertainty of that initial diagnosis. It’s such a wealth of information. Understanding the diagnosis, it’s a massive amount of information to take on as a patient. Having that continuity, in the clinical setting and outside in the home setting, is so important."
She added (via the BBC): "You think the treatment has finished and you can crack on and get back to normal, but that's still a real challenge.
"The words totally disappear. And understanding that as a patient - yes, there are side effects around treatment, but actually there are more long-term side effects."
Additional words by Joshua Nair.
Topics: Royal Family, Kate Middleton, Cancer, Health
Brenna Cooper