Prince William said his wife, Duchess Kate, was “fine” in response to questions from the public during a royal engagement on Friday.
The Prince of Wales visited St Mary's Community Hospital in the Isles of Scilly in southwest England. Tracy Smith, the hospital's administrator, showed the royal family around the facility. “May I ask how Princess Kate is doing?'' she said. In response, William said Kate was “fine”. When asked about his children (George, Charlotte and Louis), William joked: “They're very jealous that I'm here…maybe later this year.” .
This rare update comes after the Princess of Wales announced in a video message that she had been diagnosed with cancer following a scheduled abdominal surgery. In a video released by Kensington Palace on March 22, Duchess Kate said the news was a “huge shock”. A Kensington Palace spokesperson said she started “preventative chemotherapy” in late February.
Kate said in a video message: “I'm doing well and getting stronger every day.”
During the royal visit on Friday, hospital medical examiner Linda McHale handed Prince William a card for his wife and father, King Charles III. Charles III announced his diagnosis with an undisclosed type of cancer in February and officially returned to royal duties in late April.
“It was a card from my granddaughter wishing her father and wife a speedy recovery,” McHale said, as reported by Sky News.
Prince William, Prince of Wales, speaks with Linda McHale during a visit to St. Mary's Community Hospital in the Isles of Scilly, England, on May 10, 2024.Ben Birchall—Getty Images
Until her video announcement in March, Duchess Kate had not been seen in public since Christmas Day, sparking speculation about her whereabouts. In her filmed message, Kate said she needed time for herself and her family to process the diagnosis before disclosing it to the public.
“It took me a while to recover from the major surgery and start treatment, but most importantly, it took me a while to explain everything in the right way to George, Charlotte and Louis,” she said. said. And to reassure them that I'm okay. ”
Mr William met with hospital staff on Friday to hear about plans for a new facility that would integrate health and social care. The facility aims to improve the range of care provided and allow people to receive care nearby without having to travel to the mainland. According to the BBC, the new building is expected to open by next summer.
