The Princess of Wales speaking out and silencing speculation asks for time to recover with her family following her shock cancer diagnosis

As they begin their Easter break with their three children, the Prince and Princess of Wales are doing their best to shield the youngsters after Kate's revelation last week that she is being treated for cancer.

- By Tracy Schaverien

Still dealing with the Princess's shock diagnosis, the couple plan to spend the holidays privately as a family while they continue to process the news and help their children come to terms with it.

Kate, 42, made a personal announcement in a moving and powerful video message in which she told of the "incredibly tough couple of months" her family had experienced and how her diagnosis had come as "a huge shock".

She also told how the cancer was discovered following her planned abdominal surgery in January and said she is having preventative chemotherapy treatment. She added that she was "focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits".

PUTTING HER FAMILY FIRST

HELLO! understands the Princess started her cancer treatment in late February, but royal sources say she and Prince William, 41, wanted to make the children their priority and delayed making the diagnosis public until school had broken up, so they could be together as a family once the world found out.

Kate herself has also needed space to come to terms with her diagnosis, as well as to recover from her surgery, and wanted to be able to tell the children in her own time.

Meanwhile, HELLO! also understands Kate's health crisis is the reason William pulled out of a memorial service for his godfather, ex-King Constantine of Greece, at St George's Chapel in Windsor on 27 February. Although expected to give a reading, he cancelled at the last minute, citing "a personal issue."

Arms around each other, the couple enjoy a brief moment of tranquillity together during their visit to Ireland in 2020. In her video message, Kate praised her husband of almost 13 years - their wedding anniversary is in April - and said: "Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance"