Inside Kate Middleton's Cancer Battle — From Agonizing Abdominal Surgery and Month-Long Recovery to Shattering Diagnosis and Treatment

On December 25, 2023, Kate Middleton joined the royal family at Sandringham as part of the annual tradition. A few weeks later, she became noticeably absent from public engagements with Prince William, sparking rumors about their marriage.

On January 17, Kensington Palace released a statement confirming Kate underwent abdominal surgery at The London Clinic.

The statement read: "The surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery. Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter.

"The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate. She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private. Kensington Palace will, therefore, only provide updates on Her Royal Highness' progress when there is significant new information to share."

Kate was discharged from the medical facility after 13 days and was "making good progress" at the time, according to the Kensington Palace.

Concerns about Kate's health and whereabouts renewed in February due to her extended absence after her hospitalization. Her husband, who temporarily postponed his engagements to care for her and their kids amid her recovery period, resumed his public duties on February 7 for the investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.

Prince William led the event after his father, King Charles III, was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

On February 29, a palace spokesperson reassured the royal fans that Kate was "doing well." She was later photographed with her mom, Carole Middleton, in Windsor, England.

After Kate's photo scandal, she revealed her cancer diagnosis in a video message on March 22.

She said: "I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you personally for all the wonderful messages of support and understanding whilst I've been recovering from surgery.

"It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family. In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London."

"At the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful, however, tests after the operation found cancer had been present.

"My medical team therefore advised I should undergo preventive chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of that treatment."

In the months after the revelation, Prince William continued fulfilling his royal duties while Kate remained out of the picture.

However, on June 14, she released her first statement, sharing she was "not out of the woods" yet.

Part of Kate's message read: "My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months. On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home."

Kate made her first public appearance at Trooping the Colour on June 15. She also attended Wimbledon alongside Princess Charlotte and Pippa Middleton Matthews.

On August 25, she joined Prince William and other royal family members at their Sunday service at Crathie Kirk.

On September 9, Kensington Palace released a new video message in which Kate disclosed she "is focused on staying cancer-free" after completing chemotherapy.

She added: "The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown."

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