Prince William gave his first update on his wife, Princess Kate Middleton of Wales, who announced her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
William delighted fans on Tuesday by unexpectedly greeting them outside James’ Place, a nonprofit organization in Newcastle, England, dedicated to men’s mental health.
“Do you mind if I ask how your wife and children are?” one woman asked in a video shared on Instagram. “We’re all doing well, thank you,” William replied.
The fan shot back with, “And obviously Catherine?”
“We’re all doing well,” Prince William answered.
William and Kate share their lives with three children. Prince George, aged 10; Princess Charlotte, who will celebrate her 9th birthday on Thursday; and Prince Louis, who is 6 years old.
The siblings had just begun their Easter vacation in March when Kate revealed in a public video message that she had received a cancer diagnosis. Kensington Palace has not disclosed the specific type of cancer. They announced that Kate commenced a preventative chemotherapy regimen in late February.
“This, of course, came as a huge shock. William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,” Middleton said in the video announcement.
“As you can imagine, this has taken time. 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. [We want] to reassure them that I am going to be OK.”
Prince William Stepped Back From Royal Duties Following Kate Middleton’s Diagnosis Announcement
In her statement, Kate requested privacy for her family and announced an extended break from her public royal responsibilities. At the time of her announcement, the palace stated that Kate would resume her official duties upon receiving clearance from her medical team.
After Kate Middleton publicly disclosed her diagnosis, Prince William similarly stepped back from his public responsibilities.
On April 18, William resumed his duties. He visited the nonprofit Surplus to Supper, receiving warm wishes for both Kate and his father, King Charles III. King Charles was also diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.
In late April, the family commemorated a series of notable events. Prince Louis’ 6th birthday was on April 23 and Prince William. Meanwhile, Princess Kate’s 13th wedding anniversary was on April 29. Each milestone was celebrated with the release of new portraits.