The whirlwind of stories around Kate Middleton’s absence finally ended after the Princess of Wales released a video message. Announcing her cancer diagnosis, she revealed that she will undergo preventative chemotherapy, and asked for privacy amid this difficult time. As we wish Kate Middleton a speedy and complete recovery, we look back on her royal duties and charity work, which also includes being a patron of cancer trusts.
Reports stated that following King Charles’ diagnosis and Middleton’s announcement, visits to the NHS website’s cancer information page increased by nearly five-fold. Also, Macmillan and Cancer Research UK saw a huge surge in online traffic. Gemma Peters, Macmillan’s chief executive, told The Independent. “In sharing her news, the Princess of Wales has raised awareness of these worries and will be helping to encourage others who have concerns, to visit their GP and seek support.”
Celebrity reactions to Kate Middleton’s diagnosis
The cancer announcement prompted celebrities and netizens to apologise for making jokes about the conspiracy theories surrounding Middleton. Blake Lively said she’s “mortified” about her joke on Kate Middleton‘s “Photoshop fails.” In the since-deleted Instagram post, Lively had written, “I’m so excited to share this new photo I just took today to announce our 4 new @bettybuzz & @bettybooze products! Now you know why I’ve been MIA.” Posting an apology in her Instagram stories, the actress and entrepreneur wished a speedy recovery to the Princess.
Middleton also received supportive messages from the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, and actress and cancer survivor Olivia Munn.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also released a statement sending their well wishes to the Princess of Wales. “We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace,” said the statement.
Fans are now calling for Kim Kardashian to post an apology for her “on my way to go find Kate” Instagram post. Netizens have hailed Middleton for her brave decision to make the diagnosis public, and are sharing how her welfare work for cancer patients had been impactful in the past. As a royal, Kate Middleton has worked with several charities and raised significant donations. Here’s looking at her impressive philanthropic endeavours.
A look at Kate Middleton’s charity work and significant donations
Kate Middleton’s hair donation for Little Princess Trust
The Princess of Wales has supported several charities since she took on her royal role, but one of her notable gestures from 2018 holds a special meaning today. In 2018, Kate Middleton anonymously donated seven inches of hair to the Little Princess Trust. The charity makes realistic wigs for children who lose their hair during chemotherapy. As per the Daily Mail, it was her hair designer Joey Wheeler’s idea who spoke to the Princess of Wales about the opportunity to donate her hair. Previously, Harry Styles had made the headlines in 2016 for donating his hair to the same charity. The singer sent a chunk of his ponytail to the organisation and received two million likes on his Instagram post about it.
Kate Middleton’s charity work with Teenage Cancer Trust
Even before taking on an official role in the Royal family, Kate Middleton showed her passion for philanthropy. A month after announcing her engagement to Prince William, Middleton attended the Teenage Cancer Trust’s fundraising gala in 2010. William and her were guests of honour at the event and proceeds from the gala were promised to help build the specialist cancer unit for young people at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. At the charity gala, the couple also interacted with a group of young cancer patients. It was the first fundraiser event attended by Middleton before the royal wedding.
After their wedding in 2011, as a part of her royal duties, Kate Middleton also accompanied Prince William to open Oak Center for Children and Young People, a cancer unit at Royal Marsden.
Kate Middleton’s charity dress and runway moment
Kate Middleton’s empathic nature and passion for charity goes beyond her royal role and in fact, it has been something that she has cared about since her younger days. As a first-year art history major at the University of St. Andrews in 2002 she volunteered to walk in a campus charity fashion show dubbed “The Art of Seduction.” This is the time that she famously walked the runway sporting a sheer dress and reportedly the moment that Prince William was convinced she was “the one.”
Designed by Charlotte Todd and estimated to have been worth USD 50 originally, the dress was sold at an auction in 2011 for a whopping USD 125,000. Middleton’s famous runway moment was recently recreated in Netflix’s The Crown Season 4.
Frontline workers and mental health initiatives
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Middleton and Prince William’s joint charity organisation made a huge donation to support frontline workers. The couple’s Royal Foundation donated about USD 2 million to the U.K.’s frontline workers and mental health initiatives through a fund that worked with 10 charities. This philanthropic initiative was in support of programs such as grief trauma counselling for emergency responders and mental health support for teachers. At the time, Kate expressed her “awe of the incredible work that frontline staff and emergency responders have been doing in response to COVID-19.” She also acknowledged the pandemic’s lasting impact on mental health while speaking to representatives of charities who benefitted from their donations.
The Royal wedding fund
Kate Middleton and Prince William’s royal wedding in 2011 was special for many reasons. Not only was it a celebration of love but also a display of the couple’s generosity. As a part of the celebration, Kate and William had set up a fund which gave anyone who wished to send them a wedding gift a chance to donate to the couple’s chosen charities.
The funds included direct donations, as well as revenue raised from wedding-related projects including the sales of the official Royal Wedding Album. The donations raised through the fund supported various initiatives including Changing Lives through Arts and Sport; Children Fulfilling Their Potential; Help and Care at Home. Through this thoughtful gesture, the couple raised an estimated USD 1.7 million.
Kate Middleton’s donation for Prince Harry’s Invictus Games
Despite the family feud that erupted following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Princess of Wales surprised everyone with a key gesture towards the Sussexes. In 2020, she and Prince William made a generous donation of USD 1.07 million to Prince Harry’s Invictus Games Foundation. The charity that Harry founded supports wounded, injured and sick veterans. While Kate Middleton’s significant donation to the charity seemed surprising given the rift between the brothers, reports suggest that she had always supported Harry’s efforts to establish the Invictus foundation.
Baby hamper donation during pregnancy
Before welcoming her first child with Prince William, then mum-to-be Kate Middleton made a gracious donation to East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). The charity offers assistance to the loved ones of young people with life-threatening diseases. While suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum during her pregnancy, she still helped out the less privileged by donating a baby hamper.
Kate Middleton is devoted to early childhood development welfare and has made donations for the same in multiple ways. Last year, she donated 50 copies of her favourite childhood book — one she also read to Prince George, Charlotte and Louis, The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson. She also passionately works with the Baby Bank initiative that helps families in need with childcare essentials. Over the 2023 Christmas, Middleton taught her three kids the spirit of giving as they volunteered with her to sort clothes, toys and essential goods for children and families.
Kate Middleton’s royal duties and charities she supports
As the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton’s royal duties include representing the royal family at official events and undertaking charitable endeavours for causes concerning UK citizens.
Kate focuses on the areas she is most passionate about and is a patron for charities for varied initiatives. She supports these charitable institutions by attending fundraisers and making private visits. The organisations that Middleton works closely with include Action for Addiction and Anna Freud National Centre For Children and Families. She is also a patron of The Natural History Museum. Middleton has also extended her love for sports into her welfare activities and hence she supports Sportsaid which funds young sports lovers and the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
(Main image: Justin Tallis/Getty Images; Featured image: Max Mumby/Getty Images)
This story first appeared here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– What is Kate Middleton’s diagnosis?
On March 22, 2024, Kate Middleton announced her cancer diagnosis and revealed that she will be undergoing preventative chemotherapy. The Princess of Wales did not disclose the type of cancer that she has. As she’s currently focusing on her health, Kate Middleton will take a break from royal duties for the time being.
– What charities is Kate Middleton a patron of?
The Royal Foundation is the primary philanthropic and charitable vehicle for the Princess of Wales. She is also a patron of several organisations including The Natural History Museum, All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League.
– Did Kate Middleton donate her hair?
Reports suggest that in 2018, Kate Middleton anonymously donated seven inches of her hair to the Little Princess Trust. The charity makes realistic wigs for children who have lost their hair due to cancer.
– What charities does Kate Middleton support?
Kate Middleton is a patron of charities that work towards mental health, wildlife and conservation, curing addiction, and supporting the armed forces community. The Princess of Wales is also particularly passionate about early childhood development welfare activities.
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Surabhi Redkar is a pop culture enthusiast with a keen interest in celebrity fashion and beauty trends. A post graduate in multimedia journalism from Birmingham City University, she has worked with several Indian and international media organisations such as Pinkvilla and DesiBlitz covering topics spanning fashion, beauty, and travel. When not binge-watching Netflix series and movies, she's exploring quiet bookstores and buying new coffee equipment. Scrolling through social media for celebrity gossip and new travel destinations is her favourite way to spend the weekend.
