Kate's courage

Silencing months of speculation, the Princess of Wales bravely revealed her cancer diagnosis

If the world needed any more confirmation of the Princess of Wales' strength, it came in the form of the two-minute video message she wrote and released on 22 March, bravely revealing she is battling a cancer that was discovered following her major abdominal surgery in January.

In the powerful video, filmed as the 42-year-old sat on a wooden bench bathed in spring sunshine, Kate spoke of the "incredibly tough couple of months" that her family had experienced and how her diagnosis had come as a "huge shock".

But the princess reassured fans that she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy and is "going to be OK" The only time her voice wavered was when she spoke of breaking the terrible news to her three children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.

It's thought Kate started cancer treatment in late February, but she and Prince William, 41, delayed making a public announcement until the children had finished school for the Easter break, so they could surround them with love and support as the rest of the world found out.