King Charles III is sharing his support for his daughter-in-law. After Kate Middleton revealed on Friday that she has been diagnosed with cancer, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson is sharing how the Princess of Wales’ father-in-law feels about the announcement.
Charles is “so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did,” the spokesperson tells ET. Following their time in hospital together, Charles has “remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks, and both royals “will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time.”
On Jan. 17, the palace announced that Kate, 42, had been admitted the day before to The London Clinic for surgery. According to the palace, “the surgery was successful.” She was set to spend the next 10 to 14 days in the hospital “before returning home to continue her recovery.”
The same day, the palace later announced that the 75-year-old monarch would be hospitalized the week after Kate for a corrective procedure.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images For Buckingham Palace
“In common with thousands of men each year, The King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate,” the palace’s statement read. “His Majesty’s condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure. The King’s public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation.”
The palace added that the king wished to share the news of his diagnosis in order to encourage men experiencing symptoms to get checked.
In the days and weeks that followed, Brits and those around the world sent the royal figures their well-wishes. On Jan. 29, His Majesty was released from The London Clinic, as was Kate. The palace announced that Kate would not be returning to official royal duties until after Easter, which takes place on March 31 this year.
On Feb. 5, the palace announced that Charles had been diagnosed with cancer, although the palace has not clarified what kind of cancer Charles has or what stage.
In the wake of his diagnosis, Prince William took over many of his father’s official duties as Charles’ duties were scaled back for cancer treatment. Prince Harry also made a 24-hour visit to see his dad.
A month later, Kate announced her cancer diagnosis in a video statement shared by Buckingham Palace. Although the mother of three did not reveal what kind of cancer she’s battling, she shared that she’s currently undergoing “preventative chemotherapy” and is “now in the early stages of that treatment.”
Kate said the news of the cancer diagnosis came as a “huge shock” to the royal family. She explained that she and William endeavored to manage the situation privately for the sake of their young children — Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.
Following the devastating news, a source told ET that Kate filmed the video on March 20, and she started receiving cancer treatment shortly after her surgery in January.
William and Kate struggled to tell their children, the source explained, because they wanted to shield them as much as possible. “Children process information in different ways. Their primary concern was to be able to explain this to the children in a way that was reassuring, and they could process,” the source said.
Despite all the erroneous speculation on social media, the source said that William has been at Kate’s side and that his primary goal in all of this has been to support his wife and his children.
Another source told ET, “Kate was diagnosed with cancer and has been receiving treatment for it. Kate and her family know she has a long road ahead of her, but she’s staying positive. At the end of the day, Kate’s main concern is her children and she’s doing everything she can to maintain what kind of normalcy she can for them as she battles the disease.”
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