Report: Kensington Palace Rushed the Release of Princess Kate’s Video Announcement About Her Cancer Diagnosis Because of Fears of a Leak About Her Condition

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published 2 April 2024

Because of fears that a leak from the inside would reveal the Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnosis before she was ready to disclose the information, Kensington Palace was forced to rush the release of Kate’s video message telling the world about her health, multiple outlets report.

A source close to the matter told The Daily Mail that the Palace attempted to get ahead of the news after an unknown person found out about Kate’s health condition. It’s unclear whether the leak came from The London Clinic or elsewhere; Kate underwent abdominal surgery at The London Clinic in January, and days before Kate spoke out, a security breach involving Kate’s medical records occurred there. A “full investigation” into the matter continues.

Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis — It is believed that Kate released the video on March 22 to coincide with George, Charlotte, and Louis' Easter break from Lambrook School.

As ever with this story, it’s murky—sources speaking to Page Six deny rumors about a leak, holding firm that Kate wasn’t pressured to release the video, but set up the timing to coincide with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis’ Easter break from Lambrook School.

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The Daily Mail also reports that Kensington Palace wanted to release the message to the world before Easter, knowing that Kate and the rest of the Wales family wouldn’t be attending the traditional service at St. George’s Chapel.

“Whatever the reason, the universal acclaim heaped on Kate confirmed it was the right decision,” The Daily Mail’s Ephraim Hardcastle column writes.

The video message was released on Friday, March 22, over two months after Kate’s abdominal surgery on Tuesday, January 16. News of that surgery was announced the next day, and while the surgery was not because of cancer having been detected, cancer was found in the aftermath of the procedure. Kate is said to have found out about the diagnosis in late February, and began a course of “preventative chemotherapy” shortly thereafter. Following her video message 11 days ago, Kate, her husband Prince William, and their three children went to their country home, Anmer Hall, in Norfolk, where they spent Easter and are believed to still be until the kids return to school in two weeks’ time.

“It is not known how long Kate will be receiving treatment, but it is understood she may be keen to attend events as and when she feels able to, in line with medical advice, although this will not indicate a return to full-time duties,” The Daily Mail reports.

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.