BREAKING NEWS: PRINCESS OF WALES DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER

At 6 pm this evening, Her Royal Highness, Catherine, Princess of Wales, announced in a personal message posted online that she has been diagnosed with cancer, and is in the early stages of undergoing chemotherapy.

In an emotional two-minute and 15-second long video, The Princess thanked the British public for “all the wonderful messages of support” following the news which came “as a huge shock” to the Royal couple and family. The St Andrews alumni said, “William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately, for the sake of our young family.”

The Princess of Wales underwent major abdominal surgery in January of this year, which had initially been considered non-cancerous, however, tests after the operation confirmed that cancer had been found present.

In what Her Royal Highness has described as an “incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family”, she has expressed their need for “time, space, and privacy” while she completes her treatment.

The Palace confirmed that Prince William’s sudden absence from a memorial service, in February this year, was in fact, due to the discovery of Catherine’s cancer diagnosis.

The Princess of Wales spoke directly to the public, empathising, “For anyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.”

Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, commented on the announcement, wishing the Princess of Wales a “speedy recovery”, and applauding her “tremendous bravery”, as he added, “In recent weeks she has been subjected to intense scrutiny and has been unfairly treated by certain sections of the media around the world and on social media.”

A spokesman for Kensington Palace said, “The Princess is now on a recovery pathway having commenced a course of preventative chemotherapy in late February”. Additionally, the Palace confirmed that they “will not be sharing any further private medical information”, adding that “The Princess has a right to medical privacy, as we all do.”

Image by the Northern Ireland Office