Buckingham Palace has been overwhelmed with tens of thousands of "get well soon" cards and gifts for the Princess of Wales following her courageous admission that she is undergoing cancer treatment.
The palace's correspondence team has been deeply moved by the love and affection shown to Kate, who recorded an emotional video message revealing she had begun a course of preventative chemotherapy. The princess has stepped back from public life to focus on her treatment and recovery, as well as to protect her young family.
Despite her withdrawal, the outpouring of support for the princess continues, with palace staff receiving thousands of cards, letters, and gifts from the public expressing their support and well-wishes.
The sheer volume of correspondence has been challenging for the team to manage, but they are committed to replying to all writers eventually. Although the Prince and Princess of Wales have their own private office at Kensington Palace, all letters to members of the Royal Family are handled by the court post office. Typically, the palace expects to receive up to 1,000 letters each week from the public with various queries or messages of good wishes for individual royals. However, the response since the disclosure of the princess's health issues has significantly exceeded that number.
At the beginning of the year, Kate was unexpectedly admitted to the hospital for major abdominal surgery. She stayed in a London clinic for two weeks before returning home to recuperate. In March, following intense global speculation about her health, the princess confirmed that while her condition was initially not thought to be cancerous, doctors subsequently discovered evidence of the disease. She emphasized her need to focus on both her recovery and supporting her young children during this difficult time, requesting privacy for her family while she completes her treatment.
Although there has been no official update on her health since then, it is understood that the princess has been seen out with her family more frequently in recent weeks, which many view as a positive sign. However, earlier this week, Kensington Palace reiterated that she still needs time and space to recover. Speaking at the launch of a landmark report by her Early Years Business Task Force, a Kensington Palace spokesman stressed that this should not be interpreted as her returning to work.
A senior aide added that the Princess of Wales was the driving force behind the business task force, has been kept up to date since its inception, and has reviewed the report. This reflects her ongoing commitment to her public service focus, which will continue when she returns to work. However, it is clear that she needs the space and privacy to recover fully, and she will only return to work when she receives the green light from her doctors.
