Kate Middleton's Secret Cancer Ordeal: Princess Had Chemotherapy Port During Trooping the Colour As New Details Emerge

She stood on the Buckingham Palace balcony radiating elegance, dressed in Jenny Packham and smiling beneath her formal hat. But while millions watched the Princess of Wales wave during the 2024 Trooping the Colour, few knew the truth hidden beneath her outfit — a chemotherapy port inserted into her chest, silently marking her private fight against cancer.

More than a year later, royal sources have begun to speak more candidly about the severity of Kate's health crisis. The detail, confirmed by Daily Mail royal editor Rebecca English, highlights the extraordinary physical and emotional burden the princess carried while maintaining a public presence.

According to English, the Princess of Wales was fitted with a semi-permanent chemotherapy port during her treatment. The device, inserted beneath the skin near her chest, delivered cancer drugs directly into a central vein close to her heart. Such ports are typically used in long-term or intensive cancer care.

This new information underscores the gravity of her illness, which remains largely undisclosed. Kensington Palace has never revealed the specific type or stage of Kate's cancer. She underwent major abdominal surgery in January 2024, and later confirmed via video in March that post-operative testing had led to a cancer diagnosis. Chemotherapy began shortly thereafter.

While Kate made occasional public appearances, including the Trooping the Colour and her March video message, most of her struggle unfolded in private.

'She is fortunate to even be speaking of recovery,' English wrote, describing the princess as 'seriously unwell' both before and after her surgery.

The Strain Behind the Smile

These revelations offer a stark contrast to the composed figure seen at royal engagements. Behind the scenes, English reported, Kate was undergoing a gruelling and uncertain course of treatment.

She frequently visited Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea, often entering through side doors to avoid media attention. The use of a chemotherapy port suggests her treatment was more aggressive than previously assumed.

Royal insiders say the 43-year-old mother of three has endured immense hardship. Although she recently appeared in a cheerful family video with Prince William and their children, sources stress that her recovery is far from complete.

Concerns about her health resurfaced last week when Kate withdrew from Royal Ascot just 30 minutes before she was due to arrive. While no medical emergency was confirmed, the last-minute cancellation caused alarm within the palace and served as a reminder of her ongoing fragility.

A Slow Royal Return

For the rest of 2025, Kate is expected to significantly limit her public engagements. She is still scheduled to attend Wimbledon and a state visit from France in July, but an overseas tour has reportedly been ruled out. Her appearance at Prince William's Earthshot Prize ceremony in Rio de Janeiro this November also remains uncertain.

Royal aides say the princess is now focused on recovery, family life and redefining her role after what one described as 'a horrific few years.'

As English noted, there is a difference between being 'back' and being 'fully back.' For a future queen, that journey will follow her own pace, not the expectations of the monarchy.

As summer progresses, Kate is expected to retreat with her family to the countryside, splitting time between Norfolk and Balmoral. There, in the quiet of nature and privacy, she continues to heal.

Though her battle remains mostly hidden from public view, the Princess of Wales is quietly rewriting what resilience looks like in the modern monarchy — showing that strength and grace often flourish in the moments no one sees.