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Catherine, the Princess of Wales, has been undergoing chemotherapy, she said Friday in a taped statement, putting to rest weeks of speculation about her health.
In a video released by Kensington Palace, Catherine, 42, said doctors discovered cancer cells during tests done after abdominal surgery in January.
"In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous," she said. "The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment."
Catherine said the diagnosis "came as a huge shock" and that the past few months have been "incredibly tough" for her family. She and her husband William, the Prince of Wales, have been trying to process her diagnosis privately, she added, as well as explaining it to their three children "in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be okay.”
"As I have said to them, I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal in my mind, body and spirits," Kate said. "Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too. As is the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you. It means so much to us both."
The princess asked for "time, space and privacy" while she completes her chemotherapy treatment, adding that she is focused on making a full recovery.
The taped statement could quell public speculation and rumors about her condition. The princess had not made an official public appearance since Christmas, and wild surmise circulated on social media about her circumstances and whereabouts. A photo of Kate and her children, posted on the Kensington Palace's official social media accounts on March 10, further fueled unsubstantiated rumors, especially after several news outlets issued a removal notice for the photo because it had been digitally manipulated.