Less than a year after royal officials announced that she would be undergoing preventative chemotherapy treatments following an unspecified cancer diagnosis, the former Kate Middleton has released a statement sharing that she is in remission and focused “on recovery.”
“As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal,” the princess, who shares children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, with husband Prince William, wrote in a message posted on social media Tuesday. “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.”
“In remission,” according to the Cleveland Clinic, refers to when treatment has reduced or eliminated any signs of cancer.
Kate’s announcement coincided with her visit to the Royal Marsden, the U.K. hospital where she underwent chemotherapy treatments. She and Prince William will be joint patrons of the hospital.
Though Kate has kept much of her health journey private, the princess has shared several updates about her experience over the past year. Here’s what she’s said.
March 22, 2024: Kate shares cancer diagnosis
After weeks of speculation following a brief disappearance from the public eye, the Princess of Wales opened up about her health in a video shared on social media. She shared that a “major abdominal surgery” she underwent in January, while successful, revealed that “cancer had been present.”
“My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of that treatment,” she said.
The royal family did not disclose the details of Kate’s treatment. Dr. Ginger Gardner, a gynecological oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, previously told Yahoo Life that “preventative chemotherapy isn’t so much a technical term — it’s a lay term — and it’s more akin to adjuvant treatment, meaning ‘additional.’” It may, she explained, mean administering additional chemotherapy after a tumor has been removed or destroyed by radiation therapy to reduce the risk of cancer returning.
“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,” Kate said of her cancer diagnosis. “As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment.”
She added that she was “thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer” as she concluded her video message.
“For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope,” she said. “You are not alone.”
Sept. 9, 2024: Kate provides an update on her treatments
About six months after breaking the news of her diagnosis, Kate and her family appeared in a video giving supporters an update on her health. Kate shared that she had “finally completed my chemotherapy treatment” and called the last nine months “incredibly tough” for her and her family.
“The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you,” she said. “With humility, it also brings you face to face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before, and with that, a new perspective on everything.”
Kate added that “doing what I can to stay cancer-free is now my focus.”
“Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long, and I must continue to take each day as it comes,” she said.
Jan. 9, 2025: William hails Kate’s ‘strength’ as she turns 43
To mark Kate’s 43rd birthday on Jan. 9, the future king took to Instagram to share a portrait of his wife. “To the most incredible wife and mother,” he wrote. “The strength you’ve shown over the last year has been remarkable. George, Charlotte, Louis and I are so proud of you.”
Jan. 14, 2025: Kate speaks about the effects of her treatment — and announces she’s in remission
During Kate’s Jan. 14 visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital — her first solo engagement as a member of the royal family in more than a year — she met with patients and thanked staff for their exceptional care, according to the Daily Mail.
In a conversation with medical staff during her visit, the princess reportedly spoke about experiencing the “uncertainty of that initial diagnosis.”
“It’s such a wealth of information,” she explained. “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 also said that she still feels the after-effects of her treatment. “You think the treatment has finished, and you can crack on and get back to normal, but that’s still a real challenge,” she shared. “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.”
The Princess of Wales did not go into detail about her own experience, it is common for people who undergo chemotherapy to describe experiencing some cognitive impairment after treatment — sometimes referred to as “chemo brain.” The Mayo Clinic says that while this is a widely used term, “the causes of concentration and memory problems aren’t well-understood.”
Later on Jan. 14, the princess issued a statement announcing that her cancer is in remission.
