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The Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnosis is set to pile further pressure on the ‘slimmed down’ monarchy.
Kate announced today in a deeply moving video message that she is suffering from the disease, just weeks after her father-in-law King Charles was diagnosed.
Prince William is now set to be absent from royal duties until after Easter as he supports his wife and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
And with the King continuing his own treatment, it means the Royal Family is now left with only four senior working royals for the coming weeks: Queen Camilla, Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
Collectively they have carried out more than 170 engagements between them since the start of the year and experts have previously said that other royals will have to step up.
But Prince Andrew remains banned from duties following the fallout from his relationship with paedophile Jeffery Epstein and his payoff to sex accuser Virginia Giuffre and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle opted to step down as working royals in 2020.
The Princess of Wales ‘ cancer diagnosis is set to pile further pressure on the ‘slimmed down’ monarchy. Above: Kate in her moving video message, which was released this evening
Prince William is now set to be absent from royal duties until after Easter as he supports his wife and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis
Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, are not currently working royals, and nor is Lady Louise Windsor, the daughter of Prince Edward.
There have previously been calls for Zara and Mike Tindall to do more.
The Duke of Gloucester does carry out engagements but is now 79 and does not have a high public profile.
The frail Duke of Kent is now 88 and is unlikely to be able to take on engagements in the place of Kate, William or the King.
It comes after Princess Anne, who is now 73, told a Canadian broadcaster last May: ‘I think that ‘slimmed down’ was said in a day when there were a few more people to make that seem like a justifiable comment’, adding: ‘It doesn’t sound like a good idea from where I’m standing.’
After the King’s own cancer diagnosis was revealed in February, royal commentator Phil Dampier cast doubt on the Royal Family’s ability to keep up with engagements.
He told MailOnline: ‘All of a sudden with these health problems we have it’s looking very, very threadbare.’
Mr Dampier said that although Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie could be brought in ‘for minor duties’, their father Prince Andrew’s past ties to the late Epstein make their involvement ‘more difficult’ for the family.
With Prince William stepping back until after Easter, Queen Camilla, 76, is now one of only four senior working royals who are available for engagements
The Princess Royal has 11 upcoming engagements from Monday until the end of the month, whilst the Duke of Edinburgh has two
King Charles was diagnosed with cancer in February and has stepped back from public engagements
The Princess of Wales is undergoing ‘preventative’ chemotherapy, she revealed today
King Charles is continuing private audiences as he undergoes cancer treatment. Above: With Commonwealth Secretary General Baroness Scotland of Asthal at Buckingham Palace last week
Instead, he praised the Duchess of Edinburgh Sophie for a doing a ‘very good job’, adding he would like to see her ‘upping her game and doing a bit more’.
The Princess Royal has 11 upcoming engagements from Monday until the end of the month, whilst the Duke of Edinburgh has two.
Queen Camilla will be present at the Maundy Service in Worcester Cathedral on March 28.
The Princess of Wales revealed her cancer diagnosis and said she is undergoing ‘preventative’ chemotherapy in a deeply emotional video message this evening.
Kate said the news had come as a ‘huge shock’ and that she and William ‘have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.’
She said: ‘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.’
The Princess’s cancer was discovered after she underwent abdominal surgery at The London Clinic in January.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh may now have to carry out more engagements after news of Kate’s cancer diagnosis. Above: With their daughter Lady Louise at the Commonwealth Games in 2022
Prince Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, are not currently working royals. Above: Beatrice (left) and Eugenie with their husbands Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank at the memorial service for the late Duke of Edinburgh in March 2022
Kensington Palace said at the time that it was non-cancerous. They confirmed again tonight that no tests indicated the presence of cancer.
But later tests after Kate’s operation found that cancer ‘had been present’.
The Princess is now on a ‘recovery pathway’, the palace said. She began a course of chemotherapy in late February.
This is the reason for Prince William’s decision to pull out of a memorial service for his late godfather, King Constantine of Greece.
Kensington Palace have said they will not be revealing what kind of cancer the Princess has, or what stage it is.
But they added she is in ‘good spirits and focused on her recovery’.
‘She is hugely grateful to the medical team for the care they are providing to her,’ a spokesman said.
‘She now needs time, space and privacy to complete her treatment and make a full recovery.’
The Mail understands that Prince William will carry out engagements when the children return to school after the Easter holidays.
Kate said: ‘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.
The frail Duke of Kent is now 88 and is unlikely to be able to take on engagements in the place of Kate, William or the King
The Duke of Gloucester does carry out engagements but is now 79 and does not have a high public profile
‘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.’
She added a message for fellow cancer sufferers, saying: ‘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.’
A spokesman for the Princess said: ‘We will not be sharing any further private medical information. The Princess has a right to medical privacy, as we all do.’
However her spokesman confirmed: ‘The Princess is now on a recovery pathway having commenced a course of preventative chemotherapy…in late February.’
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