What Really Happened To Kate Middleton Is Finally Clear & It's So Heartbreaking

After much public speculation and worrying about Catherine, Princess of Wales, the mystery has finally been solved. Kate Middleton herself finally explained the nature of her surgery and recovery. On March 22, she announced that she was diagnosed with cancer and has been going through chemotherapy out of the spotlight.

The news put to rest the wildest theories about Kate Middleton's absence from the public eye. Some suggested the princess' "planned abdominal surgery" was either a tummy tuck to hide the evidence of her three pregnancies or a hysterectomy to prevent any more. Murmurs of other surgical enhancements abounded, as did concern about a possible eating disorder. Spanish journalist Concha Calleja claimed Princess Kate had been in an induced coma following complications from the surgery. Naturally, there were also whispers about the state of her marriage to Prince William. 

Those rumors were totally off base, as Kate explained her unspecified cancer diagnosis after her abdominal surgery came as a shock to her family. "I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body, and spirits. Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too," she said.

Despite the many varying theories folks came up with in the time that Kate Middleton was absent from the public eye, the real answer will surely come as a surprise to many. After all, when Princess Kate's abdominal surgery was first announced, the public was explicitly told that cancer was not part of her diagnosis. In the video in which Princess Kate explained her current health situation, the princess noted that at the time of that initial announcement from Kensington Palace, she and her doctors were unaware of the cancer. At the time of her mid-January abdominal surgery, no cancer had been detected, but in her words, "tests after the operation found cancer had been present" (via NBC).

Now, Kate is in the midst of preventative chemotherapy. She added that she is "in the early stages of that treatment." She noted that she needed to recover from her surgery before she could begin chemotherapy while also explaining that "it has been an incredibly tough couple of months." Despite the shock of this news, it's clear that the Princess of Wales has the utmost trust in her medical team and that her illness is being treated aggressively. 

Amid the PR disaster that came as a result of Kate Middleton's absence from the public eye, many fans wondered why the palace refused to simply explain what was really going on. Princess Kate's message brought the answer to this to light. What she shared has made clear in light of all the chaos and the rumor mill that how her three children feel during this difficult time is the most important thing. "William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family," she explained. Not only did this indicate solidarity with her husband, but it also showed that she was entirely focused on her kids having an understanding of her situation before she announced it to the world.

In her statement, Kate said, "Most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte, and Louis in a way that's appropriate for them and to reassure them that I'm going to be okay." She went on to say that she is, in fact, okay and "getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal." While it is certainly a difficult time within the royal family, it's clear that Kate and her children are all in good hands.