LOS ANGELES, USA – In a heartfelt response to the recent news concerning Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales’s health, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have publicly extended their support and well-wishes.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex conveyed their sentiments through a statement to PEOPLE on Friday, March 22, 2024, expressing their hopes for Kate’s recovery and the privacy of the family during this time.
“We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace,” the couple stated, marking their first public reaction since the announcement of Kate’s cancer diagnosis and treatment.
The royal family has been under intense scrutiny following the death of Queen Elizabeth in September 2022, a period during which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were seen publicly with the Princess and Prince of Wales.
Since stepping back from their royal duties in 2020 and relocating to California, Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, have maintained a complicated relationship with the British royal family.
Their return to Europe for the Queen’s funerary events last year was a moment of brief unity amid ongoing family tensions.
Princess Kate’s health news came to light through a video message where she disclosed undergoing abdominal surgery in January, which led to the discovery of cancer.
She is currently undergoing preventative chemotherapy, a revelation that has brought the family’s dynamics back into the public eye.
Before the announcement, a family source informed news outlets that Harry and Meghan were not privy to details about Kate’s health, signaling the continued distance between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family.
“There is clearly no trust,” the source indicated, reflecting the strained relationships exacerbated by Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, and the Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan.
Further complicating the royal narrative is King Charles’ own cancer treatment, which Prince Harry acknowledged with a brief visit to the UK in February.
However, his visit did not include a meeting with his brother, Prince William, or sister-in-law, Princess Kate, underscoring the ongoing familial divisions.
Amid these personal and public challenges, the royal family’s dynamics continue to evolve. Prince William’s primary focus remains on his wife’s health and recovery, a priority that has perhaps never been more critical.
Yet, the specter of trust issues, spotlighted by the fallout from Prince Harry’s public revelations, looms large over any potential reconciliation efforts.
As the royal family navigates these turbulent waters, the support extended by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to the Princess of Wales underscores a moment of compassion and unity in the face of adversity.
