Kate Middleton
ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty ImagesPrincess Kate Middleton made a surprise trip to the ballet after announcing she had finished her chemotherapy treatment.
Kate, 42, attended the English National Ballet’s performance of Giselle at the Sadler’s Wells Theater on Thursday, September 26, in London.
“Congratulations and thank you to @ENBallet and @Sadlers_Wells for Giselle Akram Khan’s incredibly powerful, moving and inspiring performance. Creativity at its best!,” wrote the Princess of Wales via X alongside a photo of the dancers on stage.
Kate attended the ballet two weeks after she announced in a video message that she had completed chemotherapy treatment. In March, Kate first confirmed she had been diagnosed with cancer after causing concern when she postponed a royal appearance.
Several British royals have been diagnosed with various cancers since the beginning of the family’s reign. Buckingham Palace announced in February 2024 that King Charles III received a cancer diagnosis a week after he was admitted to The London Clinic for treatment of an enlarged prostate. “During the King’s hospital procedure (…)
“In January, I had major abdominal surgery in London, and at the time, it was thought I was cancer-free,” Kate said in a social media video. “However, tests after the operation found that the cancer was already there.”
Kate called the news a “big surprise,” noting she and Prince William’s plans to “manage this privately for the sake” of the family. (The couple, who married in 2011, share sons Prince George, 11, and Prince Louis, 6, and daughter Princess Charlotte, 9.)
“As you can imagine, this takes time. I need time to recover from a major operation to start treatment,” she said. “But, most importantly, we need time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I will be fine.”
Three months later, Kate broke the news about her health, writing in a statement, “I’m progressing well, but as anyone who has had chemotherapy knows, there are good days and bad days. On the bad days, you feel weak, tired and need to rest your body. But on good days, when you feel strong, you want to maximize your health.
Princess Kate passed through the ranks of the royal family, quickly changing from a commoner to the queen of England. The Princess of Wales met her future husband, Prince William, at college, and the couple married in 2011 after nearly a decade together. He later welcomed a son (…)
She added: “I learned how to be patient, especially with uncertainty. Take each day, listen to my body, and allow myself to take the time I need to heal.
Earlier this month, Kate described her health challenges as “complex, scary and unpredictable”.
“As the summer comes to an end, I can’t tell you how relieved I am to finally finish my chemotherapy treatment,” she said in a statement. “The past nine months have been very difficult for us as a family. Life as you know it can change so quickly and we have to find ways to navigate stormy waters and unknown paths.
Daniel Leal – WPA Pool / Getty Images Princess Kate Middleton chose to overcome the ongoing cancer battle in her time. Kate’s last official public appearance before the break will be in December 2023. A month later, Kensington Palace confirmed that Kate will not participate in royal engagements until April at the earliest (…)
Kate noted that her focus remains “cancer free.”
“Even though I’m done with chemotherapy, the road to healing and full recovery is a long one and I have to keep working on it every day,” Kate said. “But I hope to be able to return to work and do some public engagements in the coming months. Although everything has happened before I enter this new phase of recovery with hope and a new appreciation of life.
Kate recently made public appearances at Trooping the Color and Wimbledon before attending the royal family’s weekly church service in Scotland this month.
