'We Will Climb This Mountain With You': Princess Kate's Family Offer 'Bedrock of Support' During Her Cancer Treatments
Catherine, Princess of Wales, has found an anchor of support from her family as she receives preventative chemotherapy treatments for an unknown type of cancer. Carole, James and Pippa Middleton, are all rallying around Her Royal Highness during this "precarious time."
"Family is such an important bedrock to anyone undergoing a serious illness and particularly ongoing, lengthy treatment for it," royal author Gareth Russell told an outlet.
"I don't think we'll ever know what the Middletons' role will be, beyond that of a loving family," he added. "We won't know the specifics because they are very private, and discreet, which is, which I think is to their credit."
Carole, Pippa and James, all reside in the Berkshire area, close to Princess Kate's residence, Adelaide Cottage. Prince William and the future queen moved into the "quaint but grand" cottage in the summer of 2022 during the waning days of Queen Elizabeth II's life and reign. It was rumored at the time that the pair took the property "to be close" to the ailing monarch.
HRH's parents, Carole and Michael, have been living in Bucklebury Manor in Berkshire since 2012. Meanwhile, Pippa and her husband James Matthews relocated to Bucklebury Farm Park in 2022. Kate's younger brother James and his wife, Alizee Thevenet, also call the Berkshire countryside home, along with their young son, Inigo.
The Princess of Wales revealed her cancer diagnosis to the world through an "emotional" video on March 22. The future queen recorded the clip on March 20 to try and "quell" the media frenzy and online conspiracy theories surrounding her January 16 abdominal surgery and recuperation.
"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," the princess shared in the clip. "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."
At the end of the message, the future queen movingly reminded "all those suffering with this disease" to "never lose hope" and reminded them that "they are not alone."
"Carole has been the driving force keeping the family together with minimum fuss and maximum modesty," a Middleton family friend spilled shortly after the video.
"She’s ferried and fetched George, Louis and Charlotte, taken them to school sports matches, and given them endless support," they added. "She’s come to the rescue, provided reassurance, and has been a rock to Catherine and William as they come to terms with the news."
The source then shared that the former business owner had "been a real Mary Poppins-like figure."
GBN reported on Russell's comments.