The Prince and Princess of Wales are spending the Easter holidays privately with their children, following the news that Kate Middleton has been diagnosed with cancer.
The Princess of Wales confirmed the news in a rare public update on her health last month, with the 42-year-old mother of three revealing that she was in the early stages of preventative chemotherapy.
"[The diagnosis] of course came as a huge shock", Princess Kate stated in the video, explaining how she and Prince William had been doing everything they can "to process and manage this privately for the sake of [their] young family."
"As you can imagine, this has taken time," she continued. "It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK."
Princess Kate credited Prince William's support, calling her husband "a great source of comfort and reassurance" throughout the past few difficult months.
Royal sources have also praised the future King, calling him "a very reliable, strong person", with a friend reportedly telling PEOPLE that Prince William is doing everything he can to stop her feeling alone.
"She doesn't feel isolated in this because of William, who is right beside her," the source told PEOPLE. "This is about supporting her and her feeling supported. It is a joint effort. She doesn't feel isolated at all. The nuclear family that they have created so well is an immense support not only to him, but to Catherine, too."
This comes after a palace source told PEOPLE of Prince William's pride in his wife, after her announcement.
"William is extremely proud of his wife for the courage and strength she has shown not just this week but since her surgery in January," the source stated. "Now more than ever, he's focused on ensuring his wife has the privacy she needs to fully recover and that his children are shielded from the understandable interest in the news that has been shared."
We will continue to update this story.
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