Catherine, Britain’s Princess of Wales, said on March 22 that she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy as tests taken after she had major abdominal surgery in January revealed that cancer had been present.

The former Kate Middleton, the 42-year-old wife of heir to the throne Prince William, called the cancer discovery a “huge shock”. The news comes as a fresh health blow to the British royal family; King Charles is also undergoing treatment for cancer.

The Princess spent two weeks in hospital in January after undergoing what her office said at the time was successful planned surgery for an unspecified but non-cancerous condition.