KATE has another pillar of support in the Royal Family to help during her cancer ordeal, says insider.
The Princess, 42, revealed her health battle to the world in an emotional video message on Friday just weeks after the King bravely spoke out on his diagnosis.
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In the moving clip, Kate she said the discovery was a “huge shock” but vowed she was “going to be OK” as she underwent rounds of preventative chemotherapy.
Doting husband Prince William has been by her side throughout – taking a step back from his royal duties and pulling out of engagements last minute.
King Charles has also rallied around his daughter-in-law as someone who can understand what she’s going through.
But a source said another member of the Firm has constantly been checking up on the young mum-of-three.
Queen Camilla is said to be a pillar of support and in regular contact with Kate.
Camilla has been Charles’ “rock” following his diagnosis and wants to be as supportive for Kate.
The Queen has continued to carry out all of her royal duties and attended many events by herself after urging Charles to slow down.
On Thursday, the King travelled to visit “beloved” Kate for a heart-to-heart.
Kate was keen to speak to the 75-year-old monarch about his struggle and find out how he was coping.
The source added of the Windsor Castle get-together: “It is highly unusual for just the two of them to sit down together like this.
“The King had already been made aware that the woman he calls ‘my beloved daughter-in-law’ had cancer.
“They would have had lots to discuss and share because just weeks earlier the King had begun his course of treatment and dealt with announcing his diagnosis.
“The King left his lunch feeling very emotional.
“They are very close and he thinks of Catherine as his daughter.
“There is no doubt there is a lot they can share and can use each other for support during their own deeply personal cancer battles.”
It is understood Charles had been made aware of Kate’s cancer struggle before he travelled from London for the lunch.
Kate and hubby William have stepped back from work for several weeks to be with their children George, ten, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five.
Well-wishers on Saturday began leaving flowers at Windsor Castle for Kate.
Timeline of Kate’s health battle & recovery
JANUARY 16: Kate is admitted to the London Clinic for abdominal surgery
JAN 17: Kensington Palace announce the princess underwent surgery
JAN 18: William spends time at Kate’s bedside
JAN 23: The princess’ hospital stay passes one week
JAN 29: Kate leaves hospital
FEBRUARY 27: Prince William pulls out of service last-minute due to ‘personal matter’, sparking wave of unfounded conspiracy theories about Kate’s health
MARCH 4: Princess pictured in the car with mum Carole on the Windsor estate
Mar 10: Royal posts a sweet snap of her and the kids for Mother’s Day – then fans started spotting flaws, and massive agencies put out ‘kill notice’ on photo
Mar 11: Kate admits she edited photo, and is snapped in car with William
Mar 16: Royal fans spot the princess at farm shop near Windsor
Mar 17: Onlookers see Kate watching her youngsters playing sport
Mar 18: The Sun exclusively published video of Kate and Wills from two days prior
MARCH 22: Kate bravely reveals in an emotional video that she was given a shock cancer diagnosis
She was admitted to hospital for abdominal surgery on January 16 but it was not known then there was any cancer.
She remained in hospital for 13 nights. Kensington Palace urged the world not to speculate and said she would be off work until April.
It has now emerged although the operation was “non-cancerous” subsequent tests found cancer was present.
In her own words, Kate revealed she took time to recover from the operation before starting a round of preventative chemotherapy.
The cancer treatment began at the end of February and was the reason William pulled out of a thanksgiving service around that time, citing a “personal matter”.
Kate’s disappearance from public view sparked vile and sickening abuse online and provoked wild and unfounded conspiracy theories.
The Sun exclusively revealed on Monday the Prince and Princess of Wales had been shopping at Windsor Farm Shop last weekend and watched their children play sport.
Our video footage published 24 hours later, and shared around the world, showed Kate looking “relaxed and happy”.
Harry and Meghan’s ‘cheerleader’ targets Kate Middleton moments after cancer diagnosis
BY Scarlet Howes and Thomas Godfrey
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Netflix “cheerleader” targeted Kate Middleton moments after her cancer diagnosis shocked the world.
Christopher Bouzy, who had a starring role in Harry and Meghan’s Netflix show, trolled Kate on X/Twitter 31 minutes after her video was released.
The tech mogul, 48, said Kate’s illness was stage-managed akin to “North Korean propaganda”.
Bouzy, who has been peddling a conspiracy that William and Kate are breaking up, later joined an online meeting of 300 Harry and Meghan supporters.
One participant even questioned whether the Princess’s cancer diagnosis was legitimate.
Another claimed the diagnosis gave Kate a “free pass” from answering questions about her photoshop edits to a Mother’s Day image.
Another pal of the Sussexes, Omid Scobie, deleted a tasteless post on Friday showing an alarm clock set for 6pm — the time Kate made her cancer statement.
It sparked huge speculation as to what was to be announced.
The Endgame author, 42, later deleted the post after users criticised him.
He said: “When there was word circulating that an announcement was coming from the Palace at 6pm I tweeted an image of the time for followers to keep an eye out.
“When I learned how serious the news ended up being I removed the tweet to stop any speculation.”
Meanwhile, it was reported in the New York Post that Harry and Meghan made “private contact” with William and Kate after being “blindsided” by the news.
It is claimed that Harry and Meghan only learned about Kate’s cancer diagnosis from her video statement — the same time as the rest of the world.
A source said: “They had no idea.This goes to show the irreparable damage they have caused.
“The trust has been broken and the Royal Family is OK distancing themselves from them.”
Kate then filmed her personal message sitting on a bench in gardens at Windsor on Wednesday.
The video was released on Friday evening with Kate telling the world she was “getting stronger every day”, and had told her children “I will get better”.
After Charles announced on February 5 that he had cancer, Kensington Palace revealed Kate and Wills were in regular contact with the King.
Speaking to PM Rishi Sunak when they met last month, Charles said: “I’ve had so many wonderful messages and cards, it’s reduced me to tears most of the time.”
The King has spent most of his weekdays at Windsor Castle but has regularly gone to London to carry out official royal duties at Buckingham Palace.
KING’S REST
He left Windsor Castle at 11am on Friday to rest for the weekend at his Highgrove House residence in Gloucestershire.
The Queen has been filling in at major engagements including a visit to Northern Ireland last week.
While there she told well-wishers her husband is “doing very well” and “very disappointed he couldn’t come”, for what was originally intended to be a joint visit.
Meanwhile Kate has been recuperating at Adelaide Cottage, Windsor, with William, 41, and their children.
They will not attend the family Easter Sunday service which is expected to be held at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
It is understood the King is hoping to lead the family to the ceremony at Easter.
The Queen, 76, is also hoping to join her husband for the service which is expected to be a scaled-down affair with only a handful of royals attending.
She stood in for Charles and William at a service of thanksgiving for the life of King Constantine II of Greece at the chapel in February.
INGRID SEWARD: Prince William is a pillar of strength for Kate
STEADFAST when his family needed him, William has proved himself as a man and future monarch of strength and compassion.
While he might not have been present during Kate’s courageous video address on Friday — make no mistake, he has been by her side every step of the way.
William has stepped up with school run duties and provided a “great source of comfort and reassurance” to his wife.
But he has also been a comforting and reassuring presence for the public.
From leading members of the Royal Family at the Commonwealth Day Service to enjoying cheerful banter with youngsters on a youth centre visit, he hasn’t put a foot wrong.
Just this week he visited Sheffield to highlight his Homewards project to end homelessness in the UK.
Even then there were few chinks in his facade — but Kate was clearly on his mind.
“She needs to be sat here to hear this,” he smiled, when the discussion turned to the challenges of young families.
But ultimately he is only human.
To have your father and your wife diagnosed with cancer within such quick succession is heart-shattering.
It’s a remarkable insight into the character of this young man that he has been so incredibly brave.
Theirs is a very private turmoil which has been brought into the public arena by nature of their roles as future King and Queen.
William must feel the weight of enormous responsibility, both personally and for the monarchy, of which he is now the public face.
But he knows his most important role is that of dad and husband.
He will make that his priority.
This is a distinct difference from the ways of the past, where your royal role came before the role of spouse and parent.
Think back to when the Queen was young.
WILLS’ PRIORITY
It was a man’s world then — and she was forced to abandon her children in a way that William is determined not to.
William and Kate waited until the school term was over and their children were home before making their public announcement.
They needed to be prepared.
In this, they will have had the wholehearted support of Charles — who knows what it feels like to be brought up by nannies.
William was also acutely aware of the lack of his own father’s presence in his life, especially when things went wrong.
In 1991, he was accidentally hit over the head with a golf club when he was at school and Diana was having lunch in her favourite restaurant San Lorenzo.
The call came through that William had been bashed on the head and they thought he might die so it was very serious.
Both Charles and Diana rushed down to Ludgrove.
William was taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital and then to Great Ormond Street Hospital and Diana went with him.
But ever a man of duty, Charles prioritised his engagements.
William is determined to do things differently
Kate and William have now pleaded for privacy as they spend time together during their children’s school holidays.
Kate’s statement on Friday was issued to coincide with all three children finishing school term.
They are due back at Lambrook School, Berkshire, on April 17 and William will not return to work until then.
After Kate’s cancer statement, Buckingham Palace said: “His Majesty is so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did.
“Following their time in hospital together, His Majesty has remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks.
“Both Their Majesties will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time.”
Outside of the Royal Family, Kate has a team of trusted friends and family by her side
Here’s a guide to the key figures in the princess’s inner circle.
Pippa Matthews
Kate’s younger sister Pippa was maid of honour at her wedding to Prince William in 2011 – and organised Kate’s hen do.
Big sister Kate returned the favour as maid of honour at Pippa’s wedding to hedge fund boss James Matthews in 2018.
Pippa told the Today show: “We’re very close. And, you know, we support each other and get each other’s opinions and things.”
Hannah Carter
Hannah Carter was on Kate’s hockey team at Marlborough College, a boarding school in Wiltshire.
Kate and William attended Hannah’s wedding to East Anglia landowner Robert Carter in 2012.
Hannah was also named godmother to Kate’s son Prince Louis in 2018.
She and Robert run the RG Carter construction firm in Norfolk.
Sophie Snuggs
Hannah’s sister-in-law Sophie Snuggs is another of Kate’s closest pals.
Kate, Sophie and Hannah were spotted together at Wimbledon in 2008.
A member of the “Turnip Toffs” set, Sophie joined Kate and William on a skiing holiday in 2018.
She is Princess Charlotte’s godmother and once joined the royals at a Sandringham church service.
Sophie dated Prince William’s pal Thomas van Straubenzee before marrying Robert Snuggs.
Prince George was a pageboy and Princess Charlotte a bridesmaid at the couple’s wedding.
Emilia Jardine-Paterson
Another of Kate’s school pals, Emilia Jardine-Paterson was dubbed Marlborough College’s “It Girl”.
Emilia was part of the teenage “Glossy Posse” who hung out with Prince William and Prince Harry at King Charles’s Highgrove home in Gloucestershire.
The niece of Viscount Exmouth, she is thought to have introduced Kate to William.
Interior designer Emilia took Kate on a girls’ trip to Ibiza after she and William briefly broke up in 2007.
The mum-of-three is married to David Jardine-Paterson, who went to Eton with William.
Lady Laura Meade
Kate met Lady Laura Meade through William, who is pals with Laura’s husband James.
Laura is one of Prince Louis’s godmothers, and James is godfather to Princess Charlotte.
Prince William was an usher at James and Laura’s wedding, before James gave a speech at his and Kate’s own reception.
Leave your best wishes for the Princess of Wales in The Sun’s online book of messages.
Trini Foyle
Trini Foyle is another of Kate’s close friends from school, along with Emilia and Hannah.
She ended up studying politics at Edinburgh University and once worked as an assistant in the office of Jeremy Hunt.
Trini, who is married to husband Ted Foyle, has previously taken her son Alexander on a play date with Prince George in Kensington Gardens.
She was by her friend’s side when Kate and William split briefly during their courtship – and attended the christenings of all of the couple’s children.