Kate's battle with cancer: Kensington palace dispels rumours

The royal family has taken conspiracy theories about Duchess Kate to heart. Since Prince William's wife stopped making public appearances, social media has been flooded with reports of the future queen's alleged death. Now Kensington Palace has released a statement regarding the duchess's health.

Rumours had it that she was long dead, destined to be the next Princess Diana, hiding from her husband's infidelity or donating her organs to King Charles III. Conspiracy theories about Duchess Kate have accumulated since December 2023, all because of her absence from public life. Experts on the British royal family from TikTok have been creating increasingly abstract conspiracy theories, all sharing one thing in common - the potential death of the future queen of the United Kingdom. However, the truth turned out to be much more mundane and, at the same time, sadder.

On 22 March 2024, the official account of Prince William and Duchess Kate released a video in which the monarch explains her absence. Kate informed that doctors had found cancer cells in her body, but did not specify what type of cancer it was. Physicians referred Catherine for preventive chemotherapy, which has been affecting her mental and physical health. Many people assume that Kate was forced to release the video due to the growing speculations about her absence. The duchess did not indicate how long the treatment would last or when she might resume her role representing the monarchy.

In June, royal family fans once again turned their attention to Kate. This was due to the upcoming Trooping the Colour, the official celebration of Charles III's birthday. One of the elements of the celebration is the appearance of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Fans wondered whether the duchess's health condition would allow her to participate in the celebration. The answer came via Instagram.

In a statement, Duchess Kate wrote: "I’ve been astonished by all the kind messages of support and encouragement that I have received over the past few months. It has really meant a lot to both William and me and helped us through tougher times. I am making progress, but as anyone who undergoes chemotherapy knows, there are good days and bad days. On bad days, you feel weak, tired and need to give your body a rest. But on good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling good."

Kate continued: "I have been blown away by all the kind messages of support and encouragement over the last couple of months. It really has made the world of difference to William and me and has helped us both through some of the harder times."

She concluded her statement with words of gratitude directed at royal family fans and those who have supported her on her difficult journey towards health: "Thank you so much for your continued understanding and to everyone who has so bravely shared their stories with me."