Timeline from the Princess of Wales’s abdominal surgery to today
The Princess of Wales has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing preventative treatment, Kensington Palace has announced.
In a short video filmed in Windsor on Wednesday, the Princess said that it had been discovered following tests after her major abdominal surgery in January.
She said that it had initially been thought that her condition was non-cancerous.
In her statement, she added that she wanted the timing of her announcement to be right for her family and that while it had been an “incredibly tough few months”, she is “well and getting stronger every day”.
Here is the series of events that led up to the Princess’s announcement and every statement about the Princess’s health.
Dec 25 2023
The Princess of Wales attends Christmas service at Sandringham alongside the Prince of Wales, their three children and other members of the Royal family. This is the Princess’s most recent public appearance.
Jan 16 2024
The Princess is admitted to the London Clinic in Marylebone and undergoes major abdominal surgery. The news is not announced by Kensington Palace until the next day.
Jan 17 2024
Kensington Palace announces that the Princess is recovering from a planned operation at the private clinic. Aides say her condition is not cancer related but do not specify what surgery it is, only saying it is a successful major abdominal surgery. They say she will remain in the private hospital for 10-14 days and will be away from public view until “after Easter”.
Buckingham Palace announces on the same day that the King will be treated for a benign enlarged prostate.
Jan 29 2024
The Princess and the King are discharged from the hospital on the same day. While the King is photographed leaving with the Queen and waving at well-wishers, the Princess is not pictured. Kensington Palace says she is “making good progress” and will continue her recovery at home.
Feb 5 2024
Buckingham Palace announces that the King has cancer and is undergoing treatment.
March 4 2024
A photo reportedly showing the Princess riding in a car with her mother Carole Middleton in Windsor circulated on social media, originating on American gossip site TMZ. It was published by some international news outlets but not in any British newspapers.
March 10 2024
Kensington Palace releases a photo of the Princess surrounded by her three children to mark Mother’s Day in Britain. The photo, which was the first official one since the Princess underwent surgery, was retracted hours later by news agencies over concerns that it had been digitally manipulated. This spared a wave of worldwide conspiracy theories online about the Princess’s health and her whereabouts.
March 11 2024
Amid a new round of speculation about her health sparked by the edited Mothering Sunday family photo, the Princess issues an apology on social media for the “confusion” it caused. She said that she “occasionally experiments with editing” like many amateur photographers.
March 18 2024
The Sun newspaper published a video showing a smiling Princess out shopping in the Windsor Farm Shop with William near their home. The video stirs up more conspiracy theories about the Princess.
March 20 2024
The Information Commissioner’s Office says it is investigating a report that at least one member of staff at the London Clinic, the private hospital where Kate underwent surgery, tried to access her medical records while she was a patient.
March 22 2024
The Princess announces that tests after her major abdominal operation in January found that cancer had been present. She says she is undergoing a course of preventative chemotherapy.
In a video message, she says the news has come as a “huge shock” but that she is “getting stronger every day”.
