Friends of the Princess of Wales say it is ‘almost desperate’ that she had to open up about her cancer diagnosis to the nation last week, after weeks of cruel conjecture about her wellbeing on social media. Those close to Princess Catherine say she was ‘so honest’ in speaking to the public about her health battle after the ‘whole world has been gossiping about her’.
The future Queen dramatically announced she was undergoing ‘preventative’ chemotherapy after she was found to have cancer following major abdominal surgery in January. While her main motivation was the wellbeing of her young family, some friends have suggested Kate also wanted to ‘be able to carry on’ with her life as normally as possible without constant questions.
It comes as one leading expert said the princess had been ‘revictimised’ by conspiracy theorists, while a former royal advisor said the speculation about her was ‘the worst I’ve ever seen’. Friends of the 42-year-old has revealed their anger at the social media frenzy that has accompanied her health problems over the last couple of months.
Sources at Kensington Palace have made it clear that by making her diagnosis public knowledge that Kate was putting her family first, and in particular, her three children Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.
It is understood the announcement was made on Friday because it allowed Kate’s children to break up from school and give the Waleses the opportunity to take them to her family home in Norfolk, where they will spend the Easter holidays in private. However, some close to the princess say the reason she revealed so much information was, in part, to silence those who had been cruelly speculating about her.
‘Catherine’s message was so honest,’ one friend told The Sunday Times. ‘Isn’t it sad that she has to be so honest and share that because of all the nonsense that has been around? ‘I feel like the whole world has been gossiping about her and there is so much bull**** out there about her and her family.
‘It was almost desperate that she had to do it.’ Another friend, who Kate confided in before announcing her diagnosis to the public, said the ‘drama’ of the last few weeks wasn’t the main driving force behind her decision, even though ‘obviously that has been upsetting’.
‘She felt she had to do it because of who she is. It was more that she knows she is a public figure and has a wider leadership responsibility,’ they told the publication. They added: ‘She also wants to be able to carry on with as active and normal a routine as possible.’
It comes as backlash continues against the conspiracy theorists who are in a ‘permanent doom loop’ on social media circulating rumours about the future Queen. Thousands of people have taken part in the speculation around Kate’s wellbeing, with high profile figures such as Kim Kardashian and actress Blake Lively also weighing in.