Charles Spencer, brother of the late Princess Diana, has shared a message of support for Kate Middleton after she revealed in a video on Friday that she has been diagnosed with cancer.
On Saturday, Spencer shared a screenshot of Kate’s video on his Instagram account, writing in the post’s caption: “Incredible poise and strength.”
The Princess of Wales shared on Friday that after she underwent “major abdominal surgery” in January, doctors initially believed that her condition was noncancerous.
“The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present,” she said. “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 then said that the news of cancer came as a “huge shock” to her and her husband, Prince William. She said they have been “doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.”
The type of cancer has not been specified.
Middleton’s announcement follows months of speculation about her whereabouts and well-being since her noticeable absence since December.
Although Kensington Palace announced in January that she’d undergone a planned abdominal surgery and was unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter, suspicions about her withdrawal from public view were fuelled further earlier this month over a Mother’s Day photo.
The picture, showing Middleton with her three children, was declared by major news agencies like The Associated Press to have been manipulated, causing theories about her real status to run rampant on social media.
After her announcement on Friday, the princess has received public support from other family members and celebrities.
Kate’s younger brother, James Middleton, shared a heartfelt message to his sister on Instagram.
“Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together,” he wrote in the caption of the post, which featured a childhood photo of the two siblings together. “As a family, we will climb this one with you too.”