Kate Middleton, King Charles and Sarah Ferguson All Have Cancer in Unprecedented Royal Family Crisis

The royal family is grappling with unexpected health issues with three of its members

Kate Middleton is the latest member of the royal family to share a difficult diagnosis.

On Friday, the Princess of Wales, 42, announced that she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer following her major abdominal surgery in January. The procedure was followed by a 13-day hospitalization before the mother of three was allowed to return home and continue her recovery.

"The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of that treatment," she said in a video message on Instagram.

The diagnosis makes Princess Kate the third member of the royal family to be diagnosed with cancer in as many months.

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Related: Kate Middleton Reveals Cancer Diagnosis: Live Updates

The same day that the Princess' abdominal surgery was announced, Buckingham Palace revealed that King Charles, 75, was seeking treatment for an enlarged prostate. The monarch visited his daughter-in-law at the London Clinic, the hospital where she had surgery, before his own procedure. The King left the private hospital following a three-day stay on Jan. 29.

One week later, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles had cancer, which was discovered when the King underwent his prostate procedure. (The type of cancer has not been disclosed, but it is not prostate cancer, a spokesman confirmed.)

It’s understood that King Charles personally informed his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, as well as other family members, before Buckingham Palace made the public announcement.

In January, a representative for Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, 64, shared she had been diagnosed with skin cancer.

"Following her diagnosis with an early form of breast cancer this summer, Sarah, Duchess of York has now been diagnosed with malignant melanoma," the statement read.

According to the spokesperson, the Duchess of York had several moles removed and analyzed by a dermatologist while she was undergoing reconstructive surgery following her mastectomy. Subsequently, one of the moles was identified as cancerous.

“The Duchess wants to thank the entire medical team which has supported her, particularly her dermatologist whose vigilance ensured the illness was detected when it was,” the representative added. "She believes her experience underlines the importance of checking the size, shape, color and texture and emergence of new moles that can be a sign of melanoma.”

The Duchess received treatment for her melanoma in London, and took time to recuperate at the MAYRLIFE clinic, a medical health resort in Altaussee, Austria.

“She is undergoing further investigations to ensure that this has been caught in the early stages,” her rep explained at the time. “Clearly, another diagnosis so soon after treatment for breast cancer has been distressing, but the Duchess remains in good spirits.”

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