After weeks of secrecy and speculation, Kate Middleton reappeared this Friday for the first time after the abdominal surgery she underwent last January. In a video shared by Kensington Palace on social networks, the Princess of Wales announced that she suffers from cancer. This news has generated a real stir in the media worldwide. Now the BBC has issued a statement, as one of the workers who recorded the video message suggested that the images were edited.
The princess's message was broadcast ahead of the BBC's Six O'Clock News program on Friday. Prince William's wife announced that she has been diagnosed with cancer and that she is receiving chemotherapy treatment after her major abdominal surgery, but she did not say what type of cancer she has. Middleton revealed that the news had been a "huge shock" and that she and Prince William "have been doing their best to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family."
In the video, which is said to have been recorded on Wednesday, the future queen explains how the diagnosis came about. "In January I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time my condition was thought to be non-cancerous. The surgery was a success," she said. "However, tests performed after the operation revealed that there was cancer. Therefore, my medical team recommended that I undergo preventive chemotherapy treatment and I am now in the early stages of that treatment," she said.
After the message came to light, a BBC Studios source assured that there was no editing of the video and that what viewers saw was what the team filmed. The aforementioned media did not participate in the preparation of the message that was transmitted and in the distribution of the video, nor did it make any modifications to the recording. This clarification came following controversy over Kate's photoshopped Mother's Day photo, which was later removed with a "takedown" notice by international agencies after suspicions were raised that it had been altered with photo editing programs.
"BBC Studios filmed a message from the Princess of Wales in Windsor this week. We would like to wish Her Royal Highness a speedy recovery," the outlet said in the statement issued. ITV News editor Chris Ship explained that Princess Kate decided to share that she is receiving cancer treatment in a video message as a way for her to get "personal." Thus, Kate settled all types of speculation and addressed British citizens herself, as a sign of closeness and nobility.
