Kate Middleton Can No Longer ‘Function Normally’ After Cancer Battle
Kate Middleton has given an update about her health as she undergoes cancer treatment. Matt Porteous, via Kensington Palace
- Catherine Middleton, the Princess of Wales, recently opened up about her life following a cancer diagnosis and treatment.
- The princess announced in March 2024 that she had been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. She later shared that the cancer was currently in remission.
- Catherine had been the latest British royal to reveal she has cancer. King Charles III and former royal family member Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, recently shared their cancer diagnoses.
Catherine “Kate” Middleton, the Princess of Wales, recently opened up about her life following her cancer diagnosis and treatment.
During a visit to Colchester Hospital in southeast England on July 2, the 43-year-old said it had been “really, really difficult” time in her life.
“You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment,” she said. “Treatment’s done, then it’s like, ‘I can crack on, get back to normal,’ but actually [that’s not the case].”
Catherine, who is married to William, the Prince of Wales and the heir to the British crown, has not disclosed what type of cancer she was diagnosed with. She had shared earlier this year that the disease was in remission.
Despite this, she recently said she can no longer “function normally at home as [she] perhaps once used to.”
Finding a “new normal … takes time,” the British royal continued. It’s a roller coaster, it’s not smooth, like you expect it to be. But the reality is you go through hard times.”
Catherine first shared her cancer diagnosis in March 2024 after stepping back from her public duties to undergo abdominal surgery earlier last year, which Kensington Palace had said was noncancerous. She explained that tests performed after the surgery revealed a cancer diagnosis. “This, of course, came as a huge shock,” Middleton had said.
“William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,” Middleton had said. Catherine and William have three children: Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7.
In a statement to Healthline, the American Cancer Society highlighted how cancer can impact other family members.
“We know the challenge of explaining a cancer diagnosis to any family member, especially children. Depending on their age and maturity level, children will experience the news of a diagnosis differently,” said Karen Knudsen, MD, CEO of the American Cancer Society.
Princess Kate has ‘good days and bad days’
Catherine shared an update on her health amid her cancer treatment in June 2024, saying she has both “good days and bad days.”
At the time, Catherine described her treatment as ongoing and would continue for a few more months.
“I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days,” she wrote on Instagram. “On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.”
The princess also talked about how the cancer treatment has forced her to slow down.
“I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty. Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal,” she wrote.
She had also shared that she would attend her first royal public function this year for the King’s birthday parade.
What we know about Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis
Details about Catherine’s cancer diagnosis remain sparse, but here’s what we know.
Catherine underwent a major abdominal surgery for a condition that was initially believed to be noncancerous.
The surgery was successful, but tests afterward indicated that cancer had been present. It is unclear if the cancer was detected early. On the advice of her medical team, she started preventive chemotherapy.
“The information regarding GI surgery is a very generalized statement. The abdominal cavity contains not only the GI tract but also urinary tract and the female reproductive organs. Abdominal surgery may range from the colon, rectum, stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, small bowel, bladder, kidneys, ovaries, and more,” Cathy Eng, MD, co-director of GI Oncology and Director of the Young Adult Cancers Program at Vanderbilt University, told Healthline.
“I want to reiterate we cannot speculate on the type of cancer she may have since we do not have all the pertinent information,” Eng said.
Steven Lee-Kong, MD, chief of Colorectal Surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center, told Healthline that, based on present information, the cancer may have occurred in one of the abdominal organs.
The most common cancers that affect women are breast, lung, colorectal, endometrium, and melanoma of the skin, according to a recent study from the American Cancer Society (ACS).
Of the most common forms of cancer, colorectal cancer is statistically the most likely to be diagnosed in the abdomen, said Eng. However, she cautions against making generalizations about individuals based solely on trends.
“We do not recommend stereotyping individuals based upon their appearance alone. Cancer can impact anybody at any age. I think this is a warning sign to all young individuals to pay attention to their bodies,” she said.
Princess of Wales underwent preventive chemotherapy
Catherine’s surgery was deemed a success, which means that the cancer was likely removed.
The Princess of Wales underwent preventive chemotherapy, also known as adjuvant chemotherapy, meaning chemotherapy that follows a primary therapy, like surgery.
When administered after surgery that removes a cancer, it is used to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence rather than prevent cancer development. If Catherine is receiving chemotherapy, she may be at risk for cancer recurrence, Lee-Kong explained.
“The role of adjuvant chemotherapy is to provide basically additional treatment postoperatively to improve the disease-free survival, overall survival, and to reduce the risk of recurrent disease in the future,” Eng noted.
Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment, meaning it works throughout the entire body. Chemotherapy agents use powerful cytotoxic chemicals that destroy rapidly growing cancer cells by preventing them from dividing and growing.
However, these powerful drugs also affect healthy cells in the body, which can result in many serious side effects. Common side effects of chemotherapy include:
- hair loss
- fatigue
- nausea and vomiting
- diarrhea
- infection
“I cannot overemphasize the importance of any patient receiving adjuvant chemotherapy (or chemotherapy in general) to communicate well with their oncology team to ensure that they are tolerating any side effects they may be experiencing and to utilize the supportive medications provided to patients to reduce these side effects,” Eng said.
Why is early cancer detection important?
Different forms of cancer are on the rise in young adults between the ages of 18 and 49.
According to the ACS’s 2024 Cancer Statistics, young adults were the only age group with an increase in cancer incidence between 1995 and 2020.
Cancer incidence has steadily climbed for young males and females by about 1% annually over this time period.
Some of the most common forms of cancer in young adults include:
- breast cancer
- thyroid cancer
- melanoma of the skin
- testicular cancer
- colon & rectum cancer
- Hodgkin lymphoma
“I think this is a warning sign to all young individuals to pay attention to their bodies, and if a symptom does not resolve within less than two weeks, you should bring it to the attention of your physician,” said Eng.
Early detection is key for treating cancer. However, for young adults, detection and treatment are more likely to be detected and diagnosed at a later stage due to members of the group being less likely to have insurance and undergo regular screenings.
“We know that the sooner cancers are diagnosed and the earlier the stage is at diagnosis, the better patients do overall,” Lee-Kong told Healthline. “Early detection, enhanced by age-appropriate screening, leads to improved survival and better overall outcomes.”
Adam L. Booth, MD, assistant professor of pathology and immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and a member of the College of American Pathologists, agreed.
“Early detection through screening is our strongest defense against cancer progression because it is the only way to prevent or identify cancer before the disease advances, symptoms develop, and prognosis declines,” Booth told Healthline.
“For example, many patients undergoing a screening colonoscopy that identifies an early cancer have no symptoms. Thus, screening is the only way their cancer is caught early, which gives them a better prognosis overall.”
Helpful strategies for families dealing with cancer
Catherine’s cancer diagnosis had been the latest in a series of recent royal family cancer announcements.
King Charles III underwent treatment for an unspecified cancer that was discovered during a procedure for a benign prostate enlargement in February 2024.
Soon thereafter, former royal family member Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, announced she was recovering from skin cancer. Ferguson’s melanoma was detected early during reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy after a recent breast cancer diagnosis.
As a wife and mother, Catherine’s cancer diagnosis may have been difficult for her family, especially her young children.
“At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope,” Catherine said when she announced her diagnosis.
The ACS offers strategies to families navigating cancer diagnoses on how to communicate with children.
The ACS recommends clear communication about the type of cancer, expected changes in the individual with cancer, and what treatment will look like. They also urge parents to “find a balance between too much information and too little.” Parents are also encouraged to let children ask questions and express their feelings.
“Children between the ages of 7 and 12 may have a hard time telling an adult about any distress they are experiencing and might be afraid that what they say might upset loved ones,” Knudsen said.
“We commend Princess Catherine for her openness and vulnerability in sharing her recent diagnosis. The American Cancer Society recognizes the importance of respecting the privacy of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their family as they navigate this challenging time. We wish them all the best as Princess Catherine continues to focus on her treatment and recovery,” Knudsen concluded.