King Charles and Kate Middleton both have cancer, but they shared the news with the public differently
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- On Friday, Kate Middleton announced she had been diagnosed with a form of cancer.
- King Charles III announced he had been diagnosed with cancer in February.
- The monarch quickly revealed his diagnosis to the public, while Kate took private time to process it.
Kate Middleton announced that she has cancer on Friday.
The Princess of Wales made her announcement through a video posted on social media, speaking directly to the public.
Her announcement comes less than two months after Buckingham Palace revealed that King Charles III is also being treated for cancer. However, the monarch took a different approach to sharing his diagnosis.
The king's announcement was formal and prompt
Buckingham Palace announced the king has cancer in a statement shared with Business Insider on February 5.
The statement had a formal tone, with the palace speaking on behalf of the king rather than the monarch speaking directly to the people. The statement explained that the king's medical team saw cause for concern while he was undergoing a separate medical procedure for a benign prostate enlargement in January.
"During The King's recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted," the statement said. "Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer."
"His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties," the statement added. "Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual."
The statement did not specify the type of cancer the king has, what stage of cancer he has, or what kind of treatment he will receive.
However, it did note his treatment began on February 5, so the public knew he was being treated as soon as the news broke.
Kate kept her diagnosis private for weeks before making it public
Kate chose to reveal that she was diagnosed with cancer in a video shared directly with the public on Friday rather than through a statement from Kensington Palace.
Unlike her father-in-law, Kate did not reveal her diagnosis the day she began treatment, as a spokesperson from Kensington Palace told BI she started chemo in late February. However, she has been absent from public duty since Christmas 2023 and underwent a planned abdominal surgery in January.
Conspiracy theories about Kate's condition amid her absence from the public eye have run rampant on social media. Kristen Meinzer, a royal watcher, told BI on Friday that the direct address could help prevent more questions about her well-being.
"It will no doubt cut down on questions and conspiracy theories," she said. "And it will give her subjects a clearer way to channel their concerns."
In her video, Kate also shed some light on why she waited to make the news public, indicating her children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis — played a big role in that timing.
"This, of course, 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," she said.
"As you can imagine, this has taken time," Kate said. "It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, 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."
Though her statement came later, Kate was more specific than the king regarding her treatment, as she specified she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy. But she followed in her father-in-law's footsteps by not revealing the type or stage of cancer she was diagnosed with.
Both statements are pretty transparent for the monarchy
Although the king and Kate left some information about their diagnoses vague, it's a leap in transparency for a member of the royal family to reveal they have cancer at all.
As Time reported, the public was not made aware that King George VI had cancer when he was ill, and the Queen Mother was treated for cancer twice during her life without the public's awareness.
Following Kate's announcement, royal correspondent Rebecca English also revealed that King Charles and Kate were in the hospital together for a period of their treatment, offering an even clearer glimpse into how they are handling their illnesses.