The Princess of Wales spoke so bravely when she shared the news of her cancer diagnosis with the world. And while people have shown an outpouring of love for Kate at this incredibly difficult time, her 'desperately upset' mother Carole Middleton will also be needing support, a royal expert has said.
Kate shared the news of her diagnosis on Friday 22 March in a very moving video that had been filmed just two days prior in Windsor. The Princess sat alone on a bench as she revealed that doctors found the disease was present during post-operative tests following major abdominal surgery in January.
Casually dressed in a Breton striped jumper and jeans, Kate confided: "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."
Kate - who was later praised by her father-in-law King Charles for her bravery in sharing her health battle - is now undergoing preventative chemotherapy with the help of an 'amazing' medical team.
Now royal expert Jennie Bond has urged the public to also extend its sympathies to Kate's devastated mother Carole, who had to watch on while conspiracy theorists made cruel claims about her daughter online - all the while knowing the reality of Kate's condition.
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Jennie, who was the BBC's former royal correspondent, told The Mirror: "We should also spare a thought for another mother in this - Carole Middleton. Catherine may be 42, but she is still Carole's little girl, and to watch her go through this and withstand the bullying pressure to explain must have been desperately upsetting.
"She has no doubt been a tower of strength and a comforting presence for the children, but she, too, will need reassurance."
Kate and Carole have an incredibly close bond and it is thought that both Carole and Michael Middleton have been helping out with their three royal grandchildren, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, in the wake of Kate's diagnosis. Carole is also an invaluable support to her son-in-law William, who sees her as a 'second mum' and taught him 'how a loving and supportive family works'.
Kate's mother has provided a "real sense of normality amid any chaos" for the Prince since he married Kate in 2011, royal biographer Angela Levin told in 2021.
"[Carole] made him feel secure, comfortable and protected and he didn't have to worry about what he said or be responsible for her emotions."
Certainly, family was at the forefront of Kate's mind when she delivered her video message just 11 days ago. Visibly emotional, she said: "It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK."
Royal expert Jennie added: "It is the welfare of George, Charlotte and Louis that has been, and remains, at the heart of how news about Catherine's illness has been handled.
"The void created by the deliberate lack of information has proved damaging. Both the Princess and have taken an appalling amount of flak from the cesspit of social media trolls peddling vicious, unfounded rumours on the worldwide web. Those conspiracy theorists should hang their heads in shame."
In the wake of her announcement, the Princess received a public message of support from her younger brother, James Middleton. Alongside a childhood photo of the pair together shared on Instagram, he sweetly wrote: "Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you too."
A version of this story was first published on 24 March 2024
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