Two months after Princess Catherine shared her cancer diagnosis with the world, Kensington Palace is sharing its first major update. The update comes after a video produced by the princess and Prince William was shared publicly during the early hours of May 21. The Royal couple shared the video in partnership with Catherine’s Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which she founded in 2021. The foundation released a report “which calls for more business investment in children’s early years,” the BBC reports. It was a report Catherine was briefed on while she continues to privately battle cancer.
The video, however, sparked discussion about whether or not Catherine was preparing to return to her public-facing royal duties. As a result, Kensington Palace issued a statement regarding Princess Catherine’s future. “The princess is not expected to return to work until it’s cleared by her medical team,” said a Kensington Palace spokesman, according to the BBC. “Early childhood will continue to be central to her public work.” This is the first official update regarding the princess’s cancer battle since she shared the news with the world in March. The last time anyone had heard anything official regarding Catherine’s journey was when Prince William briefly shared that his wife and their children are “doing well” during a Royal visit in April.
In her video statement shared on Instagram, Princess Catherine reassured the public that she “will be OK,” before asking for her continued privacy as she fights her cancer supported by those closest to her. She added that while her focus is on recovery, she is also keen on protecting her three children throughout this process as well. “It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte, and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them and to reassure them that I am going to be OK,” she explained. The form of cancer Catherine is battling at the moment has not been disclosed publicly. She was diagnosed after undergoing serious abdominal surgery at the beginning of the year.