WILL?
>> Will: MANY QUESTIONS STILL TO
BE ANSWERED.
PATRICK, THANK YOU.
>>> WE TURN NOW TO OUR OTHER TOP
STORY, THE PRINCESS OF WALES
ENDING WEEKS OF SPECULATION
ABOUT HER HEALTH.
PRINCESS CATHERINE REVEALING
SHE'S UNDERGOING CANCER
TREATMENT AND ABC'S LAMA HASAN
IS OUTSIDE BUCKINGHAM PALACE
WITH THE LATEST.
LAMA, GOOD MORNING.
>> Reporter: YEAH, GOOD MORNING
TO YOU, WILL.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE PRINCESS
CATHERINE'S SHOCKING
ANNOUNCEMENT IS ON THE FRONT
PAGE OF EVERY NEWSPAPER IN THE
UK.
THIS WAS PRINCESS CATHERINE LIKE
WE'VE NEVER SEEN HER BEFORE
NORMALLY SHE'S QUITE PRIVATE,
BUT SHE SOUNDED EMOTIONAL
MAKING THAT PERSONAL STATEMENT
SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO THE PUBLIC.
>> IT HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLY
TOUGH COUPLE OF MONTHS FOR OUR
ENTIRE FAMILY.
>> Reporter: A STOIC CATHERINE,
PRINCESS OF WALES, IN HER OWN
WORDS SHARING A VERY PERSONAL
MESSAGE ABOUT HER HEALTH.
>> IN JANUARY I UNDERWENT MAJOR
ABDOMINAL SURGERY IN LONDON AND
AT THE TIME IT WAS THOUGHT THAT
MY CONDITION WAS NONCANCEROUS.
THE SURGERY WAS SUCCESSFUL,
HOWEVER, TESTS AFTER THE
OPERATION FOUND CANCER HAD BEEN
PRESENT.
MY MEDICAL TEAM THEREFORE
ADVISED THAT I SHOULD UNDERGO A
COURSE OF PREVENTATIVE
CHEMOTHERAPY, AND I'M NOW IN THE
EARLY STAGES OF THAT TREATMENT.
>> Reporter: THE TWO-MINUTE
VIDEO FILMED ON WEDNESDAY AT
THEIR HOME.
>> THIS CAME AS A HUGE SHOCK AND
WILLIAM AND I HAVE BEEN DOING
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROCESS AND
MANAGE THIS PRIVATELY FOR THE
SAKE OF OUR YOUNG FAMILY.
>> Reporter: THE CANCER
DIAGNOSIS PUTTING AN END TO
WEEKS OF SPECULATION ABOUT HER
WELL-BEING.
>> AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS HAS
TAKEN TIME.
IT HAS TAKEN ME TIME TO RECOVER
FROM MAJOR SURGERY IN ORDER TO
START MY TREATMENT, BUT MOST
IMPORTANTLY, IT HAS TAKEN US
TIME TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO
GEORGE, CHARLOTTE AND LOUIS IN A
WAY THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THEM
AND TO REASSURE THEM THAT I'M
GOING TO BE OKAY.
AS I'VE SAID TO THEM, I AM WELL
AND GETTING STRONGER EVERY DAY.
>> Reporter: EMPHASIZING THE
FOCUS FOR HER AND PRINCE WILLIAM
IS ON THEIR THREE CHILDREN.
>> WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL
UNDERSTAND THAT AS A FAMILY, WE
NOW NEED SOME TIME, SPACE, AND
PRIVACY WHILE I COMPLETE MY
TREATMENT.
>> Reporter: REACTION TO
PRINCESS CATHERINE'S CANCER
DIAGNOSIS WAS IMMEDIATE.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE SAYING THE
KING IS SO PROUD OF CATHERINE
FOR HER COURAGE IN SPEAKING AS
SHE DID ADDING, HIS MAJESTY'S
REMAINED IN THE CLOSEST OF
CONTACT WITH HIS BELOVED
DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.
PRESIDENT BIDEN RELEASING A
STATEMENT SAYING, JILL AND I
JOIN MILLIONS AROUND THE WORLD
IN PRAYING FOR YOUR FULL
RECOVERY, PRINCESS KATE.
THE VIDEO COMING AFTER WEEKS OF
ONLINE CONSPIRACIES AMPLIFIED
AFTER KENSINGTON PALACE RELEASED
THIS PHOTO ON MOTHER'S DAY IN
THE UK WHICH WAS FOUND TO HAVE
BEEN DOCTORED, THE PRINCESS
ADMITTING SHE EDITED IT HERSELF.
>> THAT VIDEO MANAGED TO
ACCOMPLISH A LOT OF THINGS.
EVERYONE GOT TO SEE HER SPEAK TO
THEM, CONNECT WITH THEM AND IT
ALSO HELPS PEOPLE REALLY
UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE'S GOING
THROUGH.
>> Reporter: EARLIER THIS WEEK
TMZ AND "THE SUN" OBTAINING
VIDEO OF THE ROYAL COUPLE
LOOKING RELAXED SHOPPING AT A
LOCAL MARKET.
CATHERINE ENDING HER STATEMENT
BY REACHING OUT TO OTHERS FACING
A SIMILAR DIAGNOSIS.
>> TO EVERYONE FACING THIS
DISEASE, IN WHATEVER FORM,
PLEASE DO NOT LOSE FAITH OR
HOPE.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
>> Reporter: NOW, HARRY AND
MEGHAN ALSO SENDING THEIR
SUPPORT SAYING, WE WISH HEALTH
AND HEALING FOR KATE AND THE
FAMILY AND HOPE THEY ARE ABLE TO
DO SO PRIVATELY AND IN PEACE.
NOW, THE PRIORITY FOR PRINCESS
KATHERINE IS TO TAKE A STEP BACK
DURING THE EASTER HOLIDAYS AND
SPEND TIME WITH THE FAMILY,
JANAI.
>> Janai: LAMA, THANK YOU
FOR THAT UPDATE.
THE NEWS FROM PRINCESS CATHERINE
COMES AT A DIFFICULT TIME.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE ANNOUNCING
ONLY SIX WEEKS AGO THAT KING
CHARLES WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH
CANCER AND WAS BEGINNING
TREATMENT.
THE 75-YEAR-OLD MONARCH CUTTING
BACK ON HIS PUBLIC DUTIES.
PRINCE WILLIAM NOW TRYING TO
FILL THE VOID LEFT BY HIS AILING
FATHER AND CONTINUING WITH HIS
ROYAL DUTIES.
BUT WILLIAM ALSO THE FATHER OF
THREE YOUNG CHILDREN,
10-YEAR-OLD GEORGE, 8-YEAR-OLD
CHARLOTTE, AND 5-YEAR-OLD LOUIS
LEAVING HIM BALANCING HIS JOB
WITH SUPPORTING HIS FAMILY
DURING WHAT WE CAN IMAGINE IS AN
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TIME.
SO LET'S BRING IN ABC NEWS ROYAL
CONTRIBUTOR VICTORIA MURPHY TO
TALK MORE ABOUT THIS.
VICTORIA, THANK YOU FOR BEING
WITH US.
WE ALL WATCHED PRINCESS
KATHERINE'S VIDEO MESSAGE.
IT WAS SEEN ALMOST IMMEDIATELY
AROUND THE WORLD.
HOW UNPRECEDENTED IS IT FOR THE
ROYAL FAMILY TO MAKE AN
ANNOUNCEMENT LIKE THIS ONE?
>> HI, GOOD MORNING.
WELL, LET'S BE CLEAR, WE ARE IN
TOTALLY UNPRECEDENTED TERRITORY
HERE.
NEVER BEFORE HAS A MEMBER OF THE
ROYAL FAMILY USED A PERSONAL
VIDEO MESSAGE TO GIVE THE PUBLIC
A HEALTH UPDATE.
THEY USE THEM A LOT FOR THEIR
WORK BUT NEVER IN THIS WAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, FOR ME I REALLY
FEEL THIS WAS ABOUT KATE WANTING
TO USE HER OWN WORDS IN HER OWN
WAY TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW ABOUT
WHAT IS GOING ON.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF NOISE
AROUND THIS AND I DON'T THINK
THIS WAS A REACTION TO THE
CONSPIRACY THEORIES, BUT I DO
THINK THE ROYAL FAMILY IS VERY
AWARE OF THE NOISE AND I THINK
BY GIVING THIS MESSAGE IN THIS
WAY, IT WAS ALSO REALLY A DIRECT
PLEA FOR SPACE AND PRIVACY AND I
THINK THE HOPE IS NOW THAT SHE
WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT SPACE
AND THAT PRIVACY AS SHE
RECOVERS.
>> Janai: AND, VICTORIA, TO THE
TIMING OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT,
YOU SAY YOU DON'T THINK IT WAS A
RESPONSE TO THE CONSPIRACY
THEORISTS.
BUT WAS IT MORE ABOUT THE KIDS
AND FAMILY GETTING TO SPEND TIME
TOGETHER AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC?
>> THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT AND
TO ME EVERYTHING ABOUT THE
TIMING OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS
ABOUT WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THEIR
CHILDREN.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE AT
6:00 P.M. ON A FRIDAY, A VERY
UNUSUAL TIME FOR AN
ANNOUNCEMENT.
BUT ACTUALLY THAT WAS BECAUSE
GEORGE, CHARLOTTE AND LOUIS
BROKE UP FROM SCHOOL FOR THEIR
EASTER HOLIDAYS AND IN MAKING
THE ANNOUNCEMENT NOW THEY'VE
BEEN ABLE TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN
TAKE THEIR CHILDREN AWAY TO A
PLACE WHERE THEY CAN HAVE SPACE
AND PRIVACY AND SHIELD THEM,
WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM,
FROM THE HUGE INTEREST AND
UPROAR THAT HAS ENSUED AS A
RESULT OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND
PROTECTING THEIR CHILDREN HAS
BEEN CENTRAL TO ALL THE
DECISIONS THAT THEY HAVE MADE
AND ALL THE DECISIONS THAT THEY
WILL MAKE MOVING FORWARD ON
THIS.
>> Janai: AND CERTAINLY PARENTS
AROUND THE WORLD CAN EMPATHIZE
WITH THAT.
VICTORIA, WHEN DO YOU THINK
WE'LL SEE PRINCESS CATHERINE
AGAIN?
>> SO WE WERE ORIGINALLY TOLD IN
JANUARY SHE WAS EXPECTED TO
RETURN TO PUBLIC DUTIES NOT
UNTIL AFTER EASTER.
BUT OBVIOUSLY THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
YESTERDAY HAS REALLY GIVEN THEM
THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXTEND THAT
TIMEFRAME.
I'M TOLD WE'RE NOT EXPECTING TO
SEE THE FAMILY AT THE EASTER
SUNDAY SERVICE AND WHEN KATE
COMES BACK TO PUBLIC DUTIES WILL
VERY MUCH BE WHEN HER MEDICAL
TEAM FEEL THAT IS RIGHT AND WHEN
SHE FEELS THAT IS RIGHT.
THERE HAS BEEN NO COMMITMENT
MADE TO ANY DATES, BUT I THINK
WE CAN EXPECT THAT TIMEFRAME
AFTER EASTER HAS BEEN EXTENDED.
>> Janai: SO SHE CAN GET THAT
MUCH NEEDED PRIVACY.