Catherine, Princess of Wales, 'doing what I can to stay cancer free' after completing chemotherapy

London
CNN
—

Catherine, Princess of Wales, has said she has completed her chemotherapy treatment and is “doing everything I can to stay cancer-free” as she plans to gradually return to public life over the coming months.

Catherine, who announced in March that she had been diagnosed with cancer, said in a deeply personal video released on Monday that she was entering a “new phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and a greater appreciation for life.”

The princess, known as Kate, has made only two public appearances since her diagnosis, which came after she underwent major abdominal surgery shortly after Christmas.

“As summer draws to a close, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally finished my chemotherapy,” said 42-year-old Kate, who is married to the British heir to the throne, Prince William.

“Now I'm focused on doing everything I can to stay cancer-free,” she continued. “Although I've completed chemotherapy, my road to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes.”

In a video message showing scenes from the English summer, Kate, William and their three children – Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte and Prince George – are seen walking through woods, having picnics, playing in sand dunes and wading in the sea.

“The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family,” she says in the video, which was filmed last month in Norfolk on the east coast of England. “The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for anyone, especially those closest to you.”

“Above all, this time has reminded William and me to reflect on and be grateful for the simple but important things in life that so many of us often take for granted. Simply to love and be loved,” Kate says in the video message.

She said she was looking forward to returning to work and would “do a few more public appointments in the coming months, if possible” and keep a relaxed schedule to fully recover.

She is expected to attend the annual Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph in London in November, which honours those who served in the war.

Kensington Palace initially stated that Kate's operation was due to a benign abdominal condition, but after intense speculation about her health and her prolonged absence from the public eye, Kate announced her diagnosis in a video message in March.

Their diagnosis shocked the country, just weeks after King Charles III announced in February that he too had been diagnosed with cancer. Neither royal has specified the type of cancer they are being treated for.

In her initial announcement, Kate stressed that she had been advised to undergo “preventive” chemotherapy. Preventive chemotherapy is often used after surgery as an “adjuvant” therapy to reduce the chance of cancer returning, Dr. Karen Knudsen, executive director of the American Cancer Society, previously told CNN.

In June, Kate said she was making “good progress” in her recovery and expected to continue her treatment for “a few more months.”

The next day – in her first public appearance since Christmas – Kate joined Charles and family members on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the Trooping the Colour ceremony in June, the monarch's official birthday.

Before her appearance at the ceremony, Kate said she was making “good progress” in her recovery and expected to continue her treatment for “a few more months”.

In July, she received a standing ovation from the Centre Court crowd when she attended the Wimbledon men's singles final with her daughter Princess Charlotte.

Charles and Queen Camilla welcomed Kate's announcement as “wonderful news” and will “continue to give the princess all their love, thoughts and support as she continues her journey to a full recovery,” a royal source told CNN.