LONDON—Catherine, Princess of Wales, has said she is “enormously touched” by the support she has received from around the world following her shock announcement on Friday that she is being treated for cancer.
Catherine, 42, revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy in a video message to the UK, triggering a wave of support from global leaders, family members, media, and the public.
“The prince and princess are both enormously touched by the kind messages from people here in the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world in response to Her Royal Highness’ message,”
Catherine and her husband Prince William, the heir to the throne, said in a statement released late on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
“They are extremely moved by the public’s warmth and support and are grateful for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time.”
The announcement ended weeks of wild speculation about Catherine’shealth, with many praising her courage and others criticizing the conspiracies that spread over her absence.
The candid disclosure leaves the British monarchy in crisis with King Charles III just weeks ago revealing he was also battling cancer.
Charles—17 months into his reign when Buckingham Palace announced in February he would be cancelling all public engagements—led tributes to his “beloved daughter-in-law.”
The ailing 75-year-old monarch spoke of his pride in “her courage in speaking as she did.”
Following other warm words from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the White House, British newspapers hailed her courage.
“Kate, you are not alone” read the front page of The Sun. The tabloidsaid it was “hugely comforting” to hear Kate say she was getting stronger.
“Perhaps the world will now appreciate why so much secrecy surrounded her surgery in January,” it added.
The Daily Mail tabloid denounced the “social media trolls who havebeen peddling disgusting conspiracy theories to explain her absence from public life.”
Outside Kensington Palace in London, Nathaniel Taylor, a 24-year-old government worker, said: “I think it’s really damning what happened tothem, what the media has done, how they’ve reacted over these past couple of months.
“I think some speculation is inevitable, but the lengths people weregoing to try and make things up it’s just (too much). Hopefully, people take a look in the mirror.”
At Tower Bridge, Sofia, a 19-year-old student who did not give her family name, said she had seen “weird accusations” about the absence and that the true reason was “sad.”
“Obviously it was a much (more) serious matter”, she said.
