Kate Middleton and Prince William Respond to Public Support After Cancer Diagnosis

Kate Middleton and Prince William have expressed gratitude to their supporters during difficult times. An official spokesperson from Kensington Palace released a statement on the Princess of Wales' behalf on March 23, the day after the Princess of Wales announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer in a video message sent out to the world.

"The Prince and Princess are both enormously touched by the kind messages from people here in the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world in response to Her Royal Highness' message," the statement read, which has been shared by outlets such as the BBC. "They are extremely moved by the public's warmth and support and are grateful for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time."

Kate broke her silence about her health in a video shot on March 20 at Windsor and released on March 22. The video responded to rumblings about her well-being during her ongoing hiatus from royal duties, which began in January, the same month as her abdominal surgery.

"At the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful," the 42-year-old said. "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."

Amid her treatment, the Princess of Wales has set plans for how she intends to resume all her royal duties. As reported by The Telegraph, during Kate Middleton's recovery from surgery in January, she had been working on an early childhood initiative that could significantly improve the lives of babies. According to Kensington Palace, the princess has been kept informed of the "overwhelmingly positive" results of the study, which was inspired by the work she has been doing under her patronage of the Center for Early Childhood.

Kate, who has three children with her husband, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5, added in the video, "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."

She continued, "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."

The BBC reported that Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis began their Easter holiday on Friday. They won't return to school until April 17, and there is no expectation of seeing or hearing from the family during the break.

A royal Easter is centered around the Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel in Windsor, usually attended by many royals. It has already been announced that William and Kate will not attend the service this year, but King Charles III may lead the family to church, according to the outlet. The Buckingham Palace has stated that they are "hopeful" that he will be able to join the family over the following weekend.