On March 22, Princess Catherine of the UK released a video announcing that she has been diagnosed with cancer. 

Her diagnosis follows that of King Charles III, who announced his own cancer diagnosis and treatment in early February. It comes after a period of intense uncertainty about the health of Catherine, who underwent abdominal surgery in January and largely disappeared from public view as she tried to recuperate.

For the royal family, the news of a cancer diagnosis for Catherine, Princess of Wales, was another heavy blow, sidelining one of its most visible figures at a time when its ranks were already depleted.

As news filtered out about the princess of Wales’s cancer diagnosis in London on March 22, just as the sun was setting on a mild spring evening, many expressed their shock and concern for a well-liked member of the British royal family, who is destined to one day be queen.

Kensington Palace had urged the public to respect the privacy of Catherine as she recovered from a major abdominal surgery in January, but as the days drew into weeks, the rumor mill swirled with conspiracy theories growing deeper and wilder about what had been keeping such a prominent member of the royal family out of view.

Although it is not known what type of cancer Princess Catherine has, oncologists say that what she described in her public statement that was released on Friday discovering cancer during another procedure, in this case a “major abdominal surgery” is all too common.

“Unfortunately, so much of the cancer we diagnose is unexpected,” Yale Cancer Center gynecologic oncologist Elena Ratner said. Who has diagnosed many patients with ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and cancers of the lining of the uterus.

Without speculating on Catherine’s procedure, Ratner described situations in which women will go in for surgery for endometriosis, a condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus is found elsewhere in the abdomen. Often, Ratner says, the assumption is that the endometriosis has appeared on an ovary and caused a benign ovarian cyst. 

Catherine’s battle with cancer displayed incredible courage and resilience. Supported by loved ones and medical progress, she faced each day with determination and grace, inspiring those around her. Her story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit in overcoming adversity.