Kate Middleton Just Broke Royal Tradition Amidst Cancer Treatment

Kate Middleton is once again proving that she isn't afraid to break royal traditions. Following the wave of support the Princess of Wales, 42, received after announcing her cancer diagnosis last month and as she undergoes chemotherapy, Middleton sent thank you cards to well-wishers that notably differed from previous royal correspondence.

The thank you messages were first revealed by X user @AllexmarieHoll1, who took to the social media platform Tuesday to share the note she received from Kensington Palace after she sent a card with her family's "sincerest best wishes for healing and of course an abundance of love" to the royal in January. The thank you cards, signed by the princess, include a brief message reading, "Thank you for your kind well wishes to Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales. Your thoughtful gesture is very much appreciated." The note is typed and accompanied by the Kensington Royal stamp.

Notably missing from the message, however, is a photo. Official correspondence from the British royal family typically comes with a picture, with many of Middleton and her husband Prince William's own messages usually including a family photo. Their 2023 Christmas card, for example, featured a black-and-white family photo that included their three children – Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.

Middleton has notably kept a low profile since Kensington Palace announced on Jan. 17 that she underwent a "planned abdominal surgery" and would remain "in the hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery." Although the palace indicated at the time that Middleton was not expected to return to official engagements until sometime after Easter, her absence from the spotlight, paired with the Wales' Mother's Day family photo editing mishap, sparked rumors about her whereabouts and wellbeing.

On March 22, Middleton finally addressed the public when she shared in a video that "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 the announcement, royal fans have sent their well-wishes to the princess. King Charles III, who also announced he was diagnosed with cancer, is also receiving cards from fans. The monarch's official website said Charles, 75, is shown "almost all of his correspondence" on a daily basis and takes a "keen interest in the letters he receives."