Charles and Camilla's touching gesture to Kate after she faced surgery: King and Queen visited Princess of Wales' bedside before monarch faced his own health battle

Charles and Camilla made a touching gesture by visiting Princess Kate's bedside after she went surgery as he faced his own health battle.

The King and Queen, who tonight said they were 'so proud' of Kate, had stopped by her bedside at the London Clinic on January 26 as Charles checked in for treatment.

That was the 11th day of a fortnight-long hospital stay for the Princess of Wales, 42, who has tonight revealed she has been diagnosed with cancer.

At the time Charles, 75, was arriving to have treatment for a benign enlarged prostate but stopped by his daughter-in-law's ward first, accompanied by Camilla.

Doctors treating him discovered he had what Buckingham Palace has described as 'a form of cancer', which the King announced on February 5.

King Charles and Queen Camilla stopped by Kate's London Clinic bedside on January 26

The Princess of Wales released a video message tonight revealing she has cancer

Kate spent a fortnight in the London Clinic after undergoing abdominal surgery in January

Charles was photographed arriving at the London Clinic in Marylebone at about 9am on January 26, minutes after leaving Clarence House.

He had arrived at his London residence yesterday following his return by helicopter from the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

The King had been resting at Sandringham since the previous Friday after flying back there with Camilla from Birkhall, his private home near Balmoral in Aberdeenshire.

Charles has tonight paid tribute to his daughter-in-law for her brave video message revealing her own cancer diagnosis.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: 'His Majesty is "so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did".

'Following their time in hospital together, HM has "remained in the closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law throughout the past weeks".

'Both Their Majesties "will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time".'

Their words came after Kate released a video message recorded on Wednesday at Windsor, saying: 'In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous.

'The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present.

King Charles was seen arriving at the London Clinic in Marylebone on January 26

Queen Camilla (centre) accompanied him that day, as they visited Kate on her ward

King Charles greets Kate during an event at the Royal Albert Hall in September 2021 

The Princess of Wales was seen on Christmas Day last year attending church at Sandringham 

'My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.

'This of course 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. As you can imagine, this has taken time.'

It is understood the video was deliberately released on the day William and Kate's three children began their Easter school holidays.

After the princess was admitted to hospital for abdominal surgery on January 16, her condition was thought to be non-cancerous.

But tests after the successful operation found cancer, the type of which has not been disclosed.

The princess is now on what has been described as a 'recovery pathway' having commenced a course of chemotherapy in late February.

Her cancer diagnosis is why Prince William pulled out of a memorial service on February 27 for his late godfather, King Constantine of Greece.

The future Queen is said to have a positive mindset for her recovery and is in good spirits, describing herself as 'well and getting stronger every day'.

Kensington Palace said: 'She is hugely grateful to the medical team for the care they are providing to her.

Kate attended the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London last November

The London Clinic, where the Princess of Wales was being treated after undergoing abdominal surgery, first opened in 1932. Above: Police outside the hospital during Kate's stay

Prince George, Prince William, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Kate on the balcony of Buckingham Palace alongside the late Queen Elizabeth II on June 5, 2022

'She now needs time, space and privacy to complete her treatment and make a full recovery.' 

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tonight said the Princess of Wales had 'the love and support of the whole country.

Good wishes also poured in from across the world, including from the White House where US President Joe Biden said he was 'incredible sad to hear of the news'.

Kensington Palace has said it will not be sharing details of what kind of cancer the princess has, or what stage of cancer it is and has asked people not to speculate.