Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, Confirms She Is in Remission from Cancer

In an Instagram post on Tuesday, she wrote: “It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery.”

Catherine, Princess of Wales, said on Tuesday that her cancer was in remission, lifting a major cloud from the British royal family, which had struggled with serious health concerns for both her and King Charles III.

“It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery,” Catherine, the wife of Prince William, wrote on Instagram.

“As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead,” she added. “There is much to look forward to.”

Catherine said last September that she had completed chemotherapy for her cancer and her goal was to remain cancer free. But Kensington Palace, where she and William have their offices, declined to say at that point whether her doctors had declared her medically free of cancer, or whether she was undergoing any other treatment.

The palace has never confirmed the type of cancer that struck Catherine, how far it had progressed, or what other treatment she was undergoing, beyond chemotherapy. The cancer was detected in January after she entered the hospital for 14 days for abdominal surgery.

Still, Catherine’s announcement on Tuesday seemed more promising than the update last fall, though Kensington Palace again offered no additional medical details. A palace official cautioned that Catherine would still gradually return to official duties over the rest of this year.

Her announcement that she was in remission came as she visited the hospital, the Royal Marsden, in west London, where she had been treated. “My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything,” Catherine posted.

During the visit to the hospital, Catherine thanked staff members and spoke with other cancer patients. She recalled her “really tough” experience with chemotherapy, disclosing that the medicine was delivered via a port, according to PA Media, the British news agency, which accompanied the princess on her visit.

“I got so attached to it,” Catherine said, referring to the port, a device that can be implanted under the skin and left in place throughout the course of chemotherapy. She joked that she hesitated when she was finally told, “You can have it taken out,” according to PA Media.

“It’s really tough,” Catherine said of chemotherapy. “It’s such a shock.”

A palace official said the purpose of Catherine’s visit to the Royal Marsden was not just to thank the staff for their care, but also to highlight the “world leading care and treatment the Marsden provides.”

Prince William is already a royal patron of the hospital, which opened in 1851 and is the world’s first hospital dedicated exclusively to cancer diagnosis, research and treatment. Catherine has now been designated as a joint patron, alongside her husband.

Charles announced in February that he, too, had been diagnosed with cancer. Buckingham Palace has disclosed little about his treatment or the status of his illness, though he has returned to a busy schedule of official duties.

On Monday, the palace announced that Charles will travel to Poland later this month to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Nazi concentration camp. Last year, the king traveled to Australia and Samoa, where he attended a meeting of heads of government of the Commonwealth.

Catherine has approached her illness in more personal terms than her father-in-law, although with a similarly tight control over the level of disclosure. She announced the conclusion of her chemotherapy in an emotional video that featured William and her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

“The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you,” Catherine said in the video. “With humility, it also brings you face to face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before, and with that, a new perspective on everything.”

The Fight Against Cancer

• The U.S. surgeon general said that alcohol consumption is a leading preventable cause of cancer and that alcoholic beverages should carry a warning label. Here’s how much alcohol it takes to raise your risk.
• Starting at 30, women can collect their own vaginal samples at a doctor’s office for testing for HPV — the infection that causes most cases of cervical cancer — according to new guidelines.
• Death rates are declining among U.S. women with breast cancer. But the disease is turning up more often in women under age 50.
• A new report described deep links between alcohol and cancer, as scientists continue to rethink the idea that moderate drinking offers health benefits.
• An estimated 13% of all cancer cases globally are linked to four common infections, according to researchers.