Catherine, Princess of Wales, said Friday she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy, a revelation that followed weeks in which her absence from the public eye sparked intense speculation about her health.
The revelation by the 42-year-old wife of the heir to the throne, Prince William, came after an announcement last month that King Charles III was receiving treatment for an unspecified type of cancer.
Her office, Kensington Palace, did not reveal the type and stage of cancer but said she has been undergoing treatment since late February.
The princess underwent an unspecified abdominal surgery in January. Her condition was thought to be non-cancerous at the time, but tests afterward led to her latest diagnosis, she said.
"I am well and am getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal," she said in a video message shared on social media.
She said the diagnosis "came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family," adding it has taken time to explain to their children -- Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Speculation about her health had been growing since she was last seen publicly at Christmas, and a photo of her and her children released on March 10 was retracted by news agencies, citing manipulation.
In the latest video message, the princess asked for privacy as she completes her treatment.
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