Kate Middleton LIVE: Kate has cancer, started preventive chemotherapy, Sunak says she was ‘unfairly treated’

According to the Post, Prince William was informed of Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis shortly before he was supposed to attend his godfather's memorial service last month. The Prince of Wales decided to skip the service, which was to pay tribute to his late Greek godfather, King Constantine II. Initially reported as “personal reasons,” William’s absence sparked speculation and speculation about his wife’s health and whereabouts. The last time Kate was seen at a royal event was at the Christmas Church service in December.

"I'm sure no one cares today, but I feel like I have to acknowledge this," the Gossip Girl actress wrote on her Instagram story on March 22nd. "I made a silly post around the 'photoshop fails' frenzy, and oh man, that post has me mortified today. I'm sorry. Sending love and well wishes to all, always," she continued.

On March 16th, Lively posted an advertisement for Betty Buzz, her canned seltzer brand. The ad featured her in a photo with an obvious edit, posing against a pool background. he Betty Buzz account responded to the post with the comment "haters will say it's photoshop," poking fun at Kate Middleton's recent photoshop controversy.

Just hours after Kate Middleton announced the news of her cancer diagnosis on March 22, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sent in their wishes of “healing” for her and the royal family. In a statement sent through NBC News, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: “We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace.”

Dec. 25, 2023: Kate attends Christmas service at Sandringham, the royal estate on the eastern English coast, alongside Prince William, their children and other members of the royal family. This is the princess's last public appearance.

Jan. 16, 2024: Kate, 42, is admitted to the London Clinic and undergoes abdominal surgery. The news isn't announced until the next day.

Jan. 17: Kensington Palace reveals that Kate is recovering from a planned operation. Officials say her condition isn't cancer-related but did not specify what surgery it was, only saying it was successful. They say she will remain in the private hospital for 10-14 days and be away from public view until after Easter.

Buckingham Palace announces on the same day that King Charles will be treated for a benign enlarged prostate.

Jan. 21: Prince Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, says she has malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer.

Jan. 26: King Charles is admitted to a London hospital for a three-day stay for his prostate treatment.

Jan. 29: Kate and Charles are both discharged from the hospital. Charles is photographed leaving the hospital with Camilla and waving at well-wishers. Kate is not pictured leaving the hospital, but officials say she is “making good progress" and will continue her recovery at home.

Feb. 5: Buckingham Palace announces that Charles has cancer and will receive treatment. Officials did not say what form of cancer the king has.

Feb. 7: Prince Harry arrives in the U.K. from California to visit his father. He departs the next day.

Feb. 27: William pulls out of a memorial service for his godfather, the late King Constantine of Greece, at the last minute, due to a “personal matter.” The palace declined to elaborate but said Kate continues to do well.

Later on the same day, Buckingham Palace says Thomas Kingston, the son-in-law of Prince Michael of Kent, has died at the age of 45. Prince Michael is a cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

March 1: An inquest hears that Thomas Kingston died from a “traumatic head wound" on Feb. 25. A gun was found near his body at his parents' home.

March 4: A photo reportedly showing Kate riding in a car with her mother Carole Middleton in Windsor circulates on social media. It is published by some international news outlets but not in any of Britain's newspapers.

March 6: People magazine cites a royal spokesman as saying that William's “focus is on his work and not on social media.”

March 10: Kensington Palace releases a photo of Kate surrounded by her three children to mark Mother's Day in Britain. The photo, the first official one since the princess underwent surgery, was retracted hours later by The Associated Press and other news agencies over concerns it had been digitally manipulated.

March 11: Amid a new round of speculation about her health sparked by the edited family photo, Kate issues an apology on social media for the “confusion” caused. She says she “occasionally experiments with editing” like many amateur photographers.

March 16: The Sun newspaper publishes a video reportedly showing a smiling and relaxed Kate shopping with William at a farm shop near their Windsor home.

March 20: The Information Commissioner's Office says it is investigating a report that at least one member of staff at the London Clinic tried to snoop on Kate's medical records while she was a patient at the hospital.

March 22: In a video address, Kate announces she is undergoing treatment for cancer, including preventive chemotherapy. She says she is well and getting stronger every day, but needs to focus on her recovery.

Buckingham Palace says King Charles III is "so proud" of his "beloved" daughter-in-law Kate for her cancer announcement.

Below is the full transcript of Kate's video message:

"I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you, personally, for all the wonderful messages of support and for your understanding whilst I have been recovering from surgery.

"It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but I’ve had a fantastic medical team who have taken great care of me, for which I am so grateful.

"In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. 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.

"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.

"As you can imagine, this has taken time. 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.

"As I have said to them; I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits.

"Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too. As is the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you. It means so much to us both.

"We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery.

"At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone."

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Friday that Kate, the Princess of Wales, should be afforded the privacy to focus on her treatment and be with her family, following news that she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.

"The Princess of Wales has the love and support of the whole country as she continues her recovery," Sunak said in a statement.

"She has shown tremendous bravery with her statement today. In recent weeks she has been subjected to intense scrutiny and has been unfairly treated by certain sections of the media around the world and on social media.

"When it comes to matters of health, like everyone else, she must be afforded the privacy to focus on her treatment and be with her loving family."

Kensington Palace had given little detail about Kate’s condition beyond saying it wasn’t cancer-related, the surgery was successful and recuperation would keep the princess away from public duties until April. Kate said it had been thought that her condition was non-cancerous until tests revealed the diagnosis.

Kate asked for “time, space and privacy” while she is treated for an unspecified type of cancer, which was discovered after her surgery.

“I am well," she said. "I am getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal.”

Kate, 42, hadn’t been seen publicly since Christmas until video surfaced this week of her with her husband, Prince William.

The White House wished Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, a full recovery on Friday after the "terrible" news of her cancer diagnosis.

"All of us just heard the terrible news. Our thoughts are with the Duchess of Cambridge and her family," Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.