London
CNN
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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 very personal video released on Monday that she was entering a “new phase of recovery” and would “make a few more public appearances in the coming months, if possible.”

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.

“The last nine months have been incredibly hard for us as a family,” she said. “The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you.”

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.

“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.

Kate said she is focused on “doing everything I can to stay cancer-free” and is beginning her new phase of recovery “with a renewed sense of hope and a greater appreciation for life.”

“Although I have completed chemotherapy, my road to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes. However, I am looking forward to returning to work and making a few more public appearances in the coming months when I can,” she said.

Kensington Palace initially stated that Kate’s operation was due to a benign abdominal condition, but after wild 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 “several 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.

This is breaking news. More to follow…