Kate, the Princess of Wales, is feeling “better,” Prince William said Wednesday, as his wife continues her cancer treatment away from the spotlight.
The heir to the British monarchy, William, was speaking with a veteran during a D-Day commemoration event in Portsmouth, England. After telling William about his experiences 80 years ago, the veteran inquired whether Kate was improving.
“She’s better, thank you. “She would’ve loved to be here today,” said William, 41, reaching down to speak with the wheelchair-bound veteran.
Kate, 42, has not appeared in public since revealing in March that she is undergoing cancer treatment. Kate stated in a video that she was having “a course of preventative chemotherapy” per the advise of her medical staff.
The couple’s official residence, Kensington Palace, announced last week that Kate would miss a military event this Saturday, which she would normally attend.
Her continuous absence means she will miss the D-Day commemorations.
William and King Charles III both delivered speeches at the occasion on Wednesday, the latter being the monarch’s first in public since his cancer diagnosis.
The monarch praised the “courage, resilience, and solidarity” of those who participated in the historic invasion of Normandy, which marked a watershed moment in the struggle against Nazi Germany.
“It is our duty to ensure that we and future generations do not forget their service and sacrifice in replacing tyranny with freedom,” Charles reminded the audience during his speech.
Queen Camilla, who attended the commemoration on Southsea Common in Portsmouth, was in tears when a veteran told his memories of the invasion. Charles also seemed to wipe a tear from his eye at one point.
The king and queen joined other heads of state and other leaders in Normandy on Thursday to commemorate the landings.
They were at Ver-sur-Mer for a remembrance event at the British Normandy Memorial, which included Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, opposition Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
William was scheduled to speak at a Canadian celebration at Juno Beach before joining veterans and chiefs of state for the official international ceremony on Omaha Beach.
Both Charles and Kate have declined to reveal the sort of illness they have or the prognosis, despite the 75-year-old king attending several events since returning to public duties earlier this year.
It is uncertain when Kate would return to public duties after revealing her diagnosis amid widespread concern about her whereabouts following what the palace described as planned stomach surgery.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Kate Middleton, The Princess of Wales Gives Update on New Project
Kate Middleton, The Princess of Wales Gives Update on New Project
