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Catherine and William leave the hospital in 2013 after the birth of their first child, George.
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Catherine, Princess of Waleshas revealed that he has cancer and is receiving preventive chemotherapy after weeks of speculation about his health and his absence from the public eye.
In a statement she called the news “shock” and asked for privacy for herself and her young family. She has not assumed public duties since she underwent abdominal surgery earlier this year.
The 42-year-old princess, known as Kate, is a key member of the slender royal family: wife of the future king, mother of the next in line to the throne, but also an admired and popular figure in her country. own right.
It has become even more important to the British royals since Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royals, Prince Andrew became embroiled in scandal and the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Born in 1982, Kate spent her early years in Berkshire, west London.
One of three children, Catherine attended the prestigious Marlborough College before graduating with a degree in Art History from St. Andrew’s University in Fife, Scotland, in 2001.
It was there that she met Prince William, then the 19-year-old son of Prince Charles, heir to the throne, and Princess Diana.
After graduating in 2005 with a degree in art history, Kate briefly worked as an accessories buyer for British women’s fashion chain Jigsaw, and continued dating William amid frenzied media attention until they split in 2007.
However, their separation lasted only a few months and they publicly announced their engagement in November 2010. William asked for Catherine’s hand in marriage in a remote cabin in a wildlife reserve on the slopes of Mount Kenya, Africa’s second highest peak. Kate’s diamond and sapphire engagement ring originally belonged to Princess Diana.
Media coverage at the time focused on Kate’s middle-class upbringing in Berkshire, southeast England, the Middleton family, and her mother Carole’s career journey from flight attendant to successful businesswoman, weaving a narrative of “ fairy tale” of the first commoner in more than 350 years. marry a prince in the direct line of succession to the throne.
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Catherine, William and their family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Color in 2023.
Much pomp and fanfare accompanied their wedding at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. Kate wore a custom-made Alexander McQueen dress, with details so precise that seamstresses had to replace their sewing needles every three hours, according to British Vogue.
Around 1,900 guests attended the ceremony and the British public were given an extra holiday to mark the occasion. Nationwide, 24 million viewers (about a third of the population) tuned in to the show. The American audience was estimated to be around 22.8 million.
Kate subsequently assumed her role as Duchess of Cambridge, accompanying her husband on royal tours and playing an increasingly active role within the monarchy.
Her first pregnancy was announced in December 2012, when she was admitted to the hospital with severe morning sickness.
Prince George, the couple’s eldest child, was born in July 2013. Princess Charlotte was born in May 2015, followed by Prince Louis in April 2018.
Kate has been an advocate for mental health awareness, fronting the “Heads Together” campaign which aimed to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.
A keen sportswoman, Kate has highlighted the benefits of sports and outdoor activities as a patron of the Rugby Football Union and the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, among other organisations.
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As a senior member of the royal family, Kate carved out a role in highlighting the importance of early childhood in life outcomes, establishing the Royal Foundation Center for Early Childhood, which commissions research and collaborates with charities to create awareness.
She also became known for the elegant and personalized style she wears at royal engagements. Her transformation into a global fashion icon meant that many of the clothes she was seen in sold out almost immediately, a phenomenon that became known as the “Kate Middleton effect.”
Since undergoing abdominal surgery in January, Kate has been out of the public eye as she recovers from her initial surgery. However, she apologized earlier this month after Kensington Palace released an edited photo the princess took to mark her Mother’s Day.