Kate Middleton announced she was battling cancer last month.
Kate Middleton is receiving a new royal title even as she is taking some time away from her duties amid her ongoing cancer treatment.
On Tuesday, Buckingham Palace announced a series of new appointments for members of the royal family in an official press release.
The Princess of Wales has been given the title of Royal Companion of The Order of the Companions of Honour. This title was created in 1917 by King George V for outstanding achievement in the arts, sciences, medicine, and public service.
Additionally, Kate's husband, Prince William, the next in line to the throne, has been named the Great Master of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath. William's father, King Charles III, previously held the position when he was Prince Charles. The position was created by King George I in 1725 and dates back to possibly even earlier than that. According to the palace, it is awarded to members of the military or civil service for exemplary service.
Charles also gave his wife, Queen Camilla, the title of Grand Master and First or Principal Dame Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire -- a role previously held by Charles' late father, Prince Philip.
Outside of the royal family, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber was also knighted as a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.
The new appointments come at a challenging time for the royal family.
A month after the palace announced that King Charles III had been diagnosed with cancer, Kate revealed her cancer diagnosis in a video statement shared by Buckingham Palace. Although the mother of three did not share what kind of cancer she's battling, she explained that she's currently undergoing "preventative chemotherapy" and is "now in the early stages of that treatment."
At the time, Kate said the news of the cancer diagnosis came as a "huge shock" to the royal family. She explained that she and William endeavored to manage the situation privately for the sake of their young children, George, Charlotte and Louis.
A source told ET that Kate filmed the video on March 20, and she started receiving cancer treatment shortly after her surgery in January.
Prince William recently returned to royal duties amid his wife's treatment. He was spotted earlier this month in Surrey, England, at an official event, where he accepted gifts on his wife's behalf.
RELATED CONTENT:
