Kate Middleton Has Been Diagnosed With Cancer, Kensington Palace Announces

Following months of speculation about Kate Middleton's whereabouts, the Princess of Wales herself provided on Friday an update on her health in a video. "It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family," she explained. "It was thought [in January] that my condition was non-cancerous...However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present." Kate also noted that she has begun preventative chemotherapy.

"This, of course, came as a huge shock," she said. "Most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte, and Louis, in a way that's appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I'm going to be OK."

"My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy," she said. "But for now, I must focus on making a full recovery."

Prior to the Friday announcement, Kate Middleton had not made a formal appearance in almost three months. In mid-January, Kensington Palace stated that the princess was undergoing a planned abdominal surgery and wouldn't be attending public events until after Easter. Fans didn't take the statement at face value, however, speculating that there was more to the story. When a photograph released by the Palace to mark UK Mother's Day was discovered to be Photoshopped and pulled by major photo agencies, the rumors about Kate's disappearance from the public eye reached fever pitch.

Earlier this week, British authorities said they were investigating a security breach at the London Clinic, where the princess was treated in January, during which an employee attempted to obtain the princess' private medical records. It was not clear whether the employee succeeded, or whether any information from those records had been made public.

The announcement comes just over a month after Buckingham Palace confirmed that King Charles, too, has cancer. The palace hasn't stated what type of cancer the king has, but noted that it was discovered during Charles' recent treatment for an enlarged prostate.