Kate Middleton Stepped Out of Her Comfort Zone to Make Her Cancer Announcement

"She is inherently shy, and for her to do that took a lot."

While Kate Middleton ultimately made the decision to tell the world about her cancer diagnosis, choosing to do so wasn't easy. According to a royal source, the Princess of Wales is normally a lot more reserved, and taking the initiative with the announcement took a great deal of courage.

Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told People that Middleton was "sincere, dignified, poised, and she was forthright" with her delivery, but the announcement goes against her true nature. "She is inherently shy, and for her to do that took a lot."

Middleton's cancer announcement, which she released on March 22 following weeks of speculation about her health following planned abdominal surgery, echoed a speech that Queen Elizabeth made while England was still in the thick of the pandemic. "When she ended with 'You are not alone,' it rang a bell with something that Queen Elizabeth would have said," Bedell Smith explained. "It was very similar to what Queen Elizabeth said during COVID when she said, 'We are all in this together.' "

Related: Kate Middleton's Cancer Announcement Video Was Flagged by a Photo Agency

The biographer continued, "She was mindful there are very few people who read about that or watched that who doesn’t know someone who has cancer. She was mindful of that. It was a way of reassuring people not only about her condition but helping them have courage."

In the time since, the public has shared their well wishes for the Princess following her diagnosis. Prince William is reported to be supporting her during this difficult time, and was inspired by the strength it took for her to make the announcement.

"William is extremely proud of his wife for the courage and strength she has shown not just this week but since her surgery in January," a palace source told People. "Now more than ever, he's focused on ensuring his wife has the privacy she needs to fully recover and that his children are shielded from the understandable interest in the news that has been shared."

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