Prince William Gives Update on Kate's Condition

Prince William has revealed that Princess Kate is "doing well" following her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.

The Prince of Wales made the remarks on Friday during a visit to St. Mary's Community Hospital on the Isles of Scilly. When a member of staff asked about Kate's condition, William replied, "She's doing very well, thank you."

He added: "The children are very jealous that I'm here and that they're not here as well."

Kate revealed in March that she was receiving "preventative chemotherapy" after doctors had discovered that "cancer had been present" following abdominal surgery in January.

The Context

Prince William has resumed a scaled-down diary of working engagements following a break surrounding Princess Kate's cancer announcement in March.

Kate stepped out of the public eye in January, initially to undergo abdominal surgery. Her absence from royal duties led to speculation as to her whereabouts in February which was compounded in early March by a photo-editing scandal.

On March 22, Kate issued a video statement revealing her cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy treatment. In it, she said that while she was looking forward to returning to her royal work, she needed "time, space, and privacy" while she completed her treatment.

Kensington Palace has not issued any formal update on the princess' health since her video statement.

What We Know

William's visit to the Isles of Scilly on Friday is his first as the head of the Duchy of Cornwall which owns most of the land and nearly a third of the residential buildings in the area. The small chain of islands is located on the southwestern coast of England in the Atlantic Ocean, close to the county of Cornwall.

As part of a series of engagements, the prince visited St. Mary's Community Hospital, where he met with staff to discuss the services it provides to residents in the local area.

Since Princess Kate's cancer announcement, William has given brief comments about her condition. On May 1, during a visit to a mental health center in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in northeastern England, he was asked about his wife and children.

"All doing well, thank you," he said. "Yes, we're doing well."

Views

Kate has received a steady outpouring of support from fans and high profile figures since her cancer announcement.

In its immediate aftermath, the princess received messages on social media from world leaders including President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron.

In a message posted to X (formerly Twitter), Biden wrote: "Jill and I join millions around the world in praying for your full recovery, Princess Kate."

Members of the royal family sent out statements of support as well, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

"We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace," the couple said via a spokesperson.

What's Next?

Prince William will undertake more engagements around Britain in the build up to the annual summer break in royal duties while the Wales children are on school vacation.

Princess Kate is not expected to return to public life until she has completed her treatment and taken time to recover, and then on the advice of her doctors. No provisional date for this has been set by Kensington Palace.

Update 5/10/24, 9:33 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

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