Kate Middleton Skips Easter Sunday Service With Royal Family After Shock Cancer Announcement

The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, and her husband, Prince William, were both noticeably absent from the Easter Sunday church service at St. George's Chapel.

Previous reports had already stated that Kate would likely miss the event after she revealed her cancer diagnosis to the world. While the princess undergoes treatment for the disease, royal insiders have claimed that she will attend events based on medical advice.

On Sunday, March 31, the royal family made their usual trip to St. George's Chapel to attend the Easter Sunday Service.

King Charles, who is battling cancer, and his wife, Queen Camilla, were present at the chapel alongside other royals. However, the Prince and Princess of Wales were nowhere to be seen. This is because Kate is taking a step back from her royal duties as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy.

Although Kate decided to skip the program entirely due to her health, Charles attended but was advised by his medical team to sit apart from the other royal family members, which included his siblings, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edwards.

Shortly after the service, Charles surprised the group of people waiting outside by having a walkabout, during which he greeted them and assured them that he was "doing his best" amid his cancer battle.

Kate, on the other hand, has yet to make a public appearance since sharing news of her cancer diagnosis and will likely not be making one anytime soon.

As Kate continues her cancer treatment, Palace insiders revealed that she will continue to stay out of the public eye but might consider attending events if she is able.

The insiders clarified that the 42-year-old's participation in events doesn't necessarily indicate a return to royal duties; medical advice will dictate that decision. As of now, Kate's primary focus is on her recovery, supported by her husband and family.

Speaking to People Magazine, Ailsa Anderson, a former spokeswoman for Queen Elizabeth II, said: "She has the inner strength, the support of her husband and her extraordinary family, so she can focus on what's important, which is her getting back to strength."

Those close to Kate also expressed optimism that she will emerge from this ordeal even stronger.

"[The royal family] is vulnerable at the moment, and there will be an even greater appreciation that they are human beings with frailties like the rest of us," a former palace aide noted. "They are so dedicated to their roles. I think you will find when Kate makes a full recovery, she will come back even more passionate."

Kate revealed her shock cancer diagnosis amid global scrutiny of her health and well-being, revealing that it was uncovered following her successful abdominal surgery on January 16.

She announced in a raw and candid video filmed against a backdrop of vibrant yellow daffodils.

"I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you, personally, for all the wonderful messages of support and for your understanding whilst I have been recovering from surgery," Kate began. "It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but I've had a fantastic medical team who have taken great care of me, for which I am so grateful."

She continued, "In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present."

The princess further shared that her medical team advised her to undergo "a course of preventative chemotherapy" and that she is "now in the early stages of that treatment."

In her video, she said that the news came as a shock to her and her husband and added that it was difficult to explain the situation to her young children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

"This, of course, came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family," Kate said.

She added, "As you can imagine, this has taken time. 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."

In the video, she assured the public that she is "well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal in my mind, body, and spirit."

Following her video announcement of her cancer diagnosis, members of the public showered the princess with love and support, and the numerous rumors about her health quieted down.

Kensington Palace released a statement from Kate and William expressing how grateful they were for the "kind words."

The statement read, "The Prince and Princess are both enormously touched by the kind messages from people here in the UK, across the Commonwealth, and around the world in response to Her Royal Highness' message."

It further noted that the couple "are extremely moved by the public's warmth and support and are grateful for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time."