Shannen Doherty Admires Kate Middleton's 'Strength' After Cancer Announcement

Shannen Doherty publicly expressed her admiration for Kate Middleton's unwavering strength following the Duchess' courageous announcement about her own battle with cancer. 

The actress, who is also battling cancer currently, had previously shared a brave but heartbreaking update, highlighting the raw emotions and fears she faces. 

Doherty, herself living with stage 4 cancer, took to Instagram to express solidarity with Middleton while condemning the invasion of privacy and relentless scrutiny the princess had faced in recent weeks.

"Being a public figure does not mean the public owns that person," the "Our House" star began in her heartfelt post, advocating for the right to privacy during times of "illness or life."

She stated, "The onslaught of conspiracy theories, ownership, and plain, morbid curiosity forced this person to explain herself before she had come to terms with it and explained it to her children." 

The 52-year-old star mentioned her admiration for Middleton after emphasizing the need for respect and understanding, regardless of one's public status. In her words:

"And Princess Kate, I admire your strength through the endless onslaught you've been under while going through cancer."

As expected, Doherty's post garnered many responses from fans, with fellow actress Sarah Michelle Gellar echoing her sentiments with a simple yet powerful "This." 

Others agreed, expressing solidarity with Doherty's message, like this person who penned, "I completely 100% agree. They even tried to illegally attain her PRIVATE medical records. Everyone, including celebrities and Princesses deserve more respect and privacy than this." 

"Well said. My heart breaks for them. Hope she is doing ok, bless her," another commenter expressed with a heart emoji.

A fourth held the opinion that "She wasn't 'forced.' She could still keep a low profile if she wanted," while a fourth lamented, "We won't learn anything. Unfortunately, nothing seems to teach the broader public anything."

However, amidst her support for Middleton, it is crucial to remember that Doherty herself is engaged in her own battle with cancer. 

Last June, she emotionally documented her experience undergoing treatment via a video shared on her page.

With tears visible in her eyes, the clip captured a candid glimpse into the fear and turmoil that accompany a cancer diagnosis. 

In the caption, Doherty recounted significant milestones in her cancer journey marked by specific dates, before revealing the challenges she faced 

"My fear is obvious. I am extremely claustrophobic and there was a lot going on in my life. I am fortunate as I have great doctors like Dr Amin Mirahdi and the amazing techs at cedar sinai," the TV star bravely acknowledged. 

Before Doherty's public show of support, the world was stunned by the revelation that the Princess of Wales had been diagnosed with cancer. 

In a heartfelt video filmed at Windsor, Middleton bravely disclosed her diagnosis and revealed that she was currently undergoing chemotherapy. 

The 42-year-old expressed shock at the diagnosis and emphasized her and her husband Prince William's efforts to "process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family."

"As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment," she shared in the video, while also pleading for privacy and reassuring the public of her well-being and strength.

In the wake of weeks filled with intense scrutiny, the princess's video announcing her cancer diagnosis prompted an array of heartfelt messages from individuals across various platforms. 

Per The Blast, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was among those showing their support. He took to social media to write:

"My thoughts are with the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Royal Family, and in particular her three children in this difficult time. The Princess of Wales has the love and support of the whole country as she continues her recovery."

He commended the princess for her bravery in sharing her diagnosis, highlighting the unfair treatment she endured from "certain sections of the media around the world and on social media."

Emphasizing the importance of privacy during such a challenging period, Sunak called for Middleton to be afforded the space to focus on her treatment and recovery with her family by her side.

Apart from the Prime Minister, even royal fans joined the chorus of well wishes, showering the princess with kind words and apologies for the undue scrutiny she faced.