Prince William says that Kate Middleton is getting better amid cancer treatment
Prince William continues to have a positive outlook on his wife's health.
The heir apparent to the British throne gave another heartening but vague health update about Catherine, who confirmed in March that she has cancer and is undergoing preventative chemotherapy to treat the undisclosed form of the disease.
Read more: Centenarian veterans are sharing their memories of D-day, 80 years later
In a video filmed at the D-Day anniversary service in France, a veteran asked William if his wife was “getting any better” amid her treatment.
“Yes,” the 41-year-old prince replied in footage posted on social media. “She'd have loved to be here today.”
William and his father, King Charles III, joined world leaders and veterans at a series of events to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Prince William attended the Canadian commemorative ceremony at Juno Beach, where he thanked Canadian veterans for their "extraordinary acts of bravery and sacrifice."
Read more: Remembering D-day: Facts and figures about the invasion that changed the course of World War II
On Friday, the prince flew solo at the high-society wedding of his close friend Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, and Olivia Henson at Chester Cathedral — about four hours outside London. William served as an usher for Grosvenor, a godfather to William's eldest son, Prince George, and one of the richest men in the United Kingdom, the Associated Press reported. (Wills' apparently estranged brother, Prince Harry, who also is friends with the duke, was not in attendance either.)
The Prince of Wales' latest remarks about Catherine come after he returned to royal duties in April and weeks after his previous update on his wife's illness.
"All doing well, thank you," William said in late April at the grand opening of James Place Newcastle, where he was asked how his wife and three children are faring. “We’re all doing well.”
Read more: Prince William shares positive health update about Kate Middleton amid cancer battle
Kensington Palace — the official mouthpiece for the Waleses — has made few public declarations about the princess aside from saying that she is "in good spirits and ... focused on making a full recovery." She will return to royal duties when she is cleared by her doctors to do so, the palace said.
In late May, Vanity Fair reported that the princess "turned a corner," "tolerating the medications and is actually doing a lot better." The story, which cited an unnamed family friend, came after reports that Catherine had been seen out with her family, as well as rumors that she wouldn't return to her royal duties until next year.
"There is no timeline, and there is certainly no hurry. It will be when Catherine feels ready and when she gets the greenlight from her medical team. But she will 100% be coming back to work, of that there is no question," a source told the magazine. The report also said that Catherine has suspended all her work-related duties amid her treatment but remains updated on major developments in public service projects. A Kensington Palace spokesman stressed to Vanity Fair that the updates should not be viewed as an example of her returning to work.
The princess has not participated in any public royal engagements since Christmas Day. Weeks later, Kensington Palace announced that she would be undergoing “major abdominal surgery” in London in January. With a dearth of updates to follow, rampant speculation about Catherine's health and well-being ran amok, further devolving when the palace released a doctored photo of her on U.K. Mother's Day in March.
The princess' unprecedented cancer announcement appeared to come as a result of intense public pressure for the British royal family and as King Charles III also is being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer. The former Kate Middleton said she waited to share the news publicly so that she could first explain it to her young children.
Read more: Don't blame the public for failing Kate Middleton. Blame the palace
During that time, Catherine, an upper-middle-class commoner who married into the British royal family in 2011, had also been plagued by rumors about trouble in her marriage. She said in her video announcement that it has been “an incredibly tough couple of months” for their family, but having William by her side had been “a great source of comfort and reassurance.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
