The Princess of Wales made a rare public appearance at Wimbledon while undergoing cancer treatment. Seeing the glowing and smiling princess alongside her daughter Charlotte touched everyone’s hearts, especially given how rare it is now to see her in public. Read on to discover how people warmly welcomed her.
Wimbledon was all in waves, and enthusiasm. Princess Catherine made a rare public appearance on July 14, 2024, despite her ongoing cancer treatment. The 42-year-old royalty attended the event with her 9-year-old daughter, Charlotte.
As they arrived, they mingled with event organizers before heading to the Royal Box at Centre Court to watch the men’s singles final between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, a repeat of last year’s match. Kate’s sister, Pippa Middleton, also joined them for the day out.
As they took their seats in the front row of the Royal Box, the crowd stood up and gave Princess Kate a standing ovation. Princess Charlotte beamed with pride at her mom, who smiled and waved, clearly touched by the gesture. It was a rare and emotional public appearance for Kate as she continues her cancer treatment.
Wearing a striking purple dress with a modern silhouette, subtle draping, and a distinctive bow detail, she added a touch of royal charm to the final days of Wimbledon, showing off her impeccable style.
Princess Kate and Prince William always make Wimbledon a part of their summer plans, and lately, they’ve been bringing their kids along too. This year, with everyone wondering if Princess Catherine would make it due to her health, the welcome for her was even more heartfelt than usual.
Whether you’re a fan or not, Princess Catherine keeps shining with elegance and strength, loving her role and rocking her personal style with genuine passion, no matter what comes her way.
When people online saw the pictures, they showered the Princess with compliments and messages of joy, expressing happiness that she was in good health and accompanied by her daughter, who appeared very happy. Many comments were along the lines of, “Lovely to see you back” and “So wonderful to see you looking healthy and beautiful. Welcome back, Princess Catherine and Princess Charlotte!” Others remarked, “A girl can’t be prouder of her mom…,” referring to Princess Charlotte accompanying her mom in such a special moment.
As always, some people couldn’t help but criticize, and a few pointed out that Princess Catherine looked different, insinuating she had undergone plastic surgery treatments, with someone writing, “Facelift healing nicely.” However, these comments didn’t reflect the enthusiasm felt by many, even those who didn’t attend the event but saw the pictures from home.
Ever since her cancer diagnosis, every public appearance Princess Catherine makes is rare and precious. However, some have scrutinized whether she has changed her appearance due to her health challenges.
Meet Myrtle, the Woman Who Was Born With 4 Legs and Eventually Became a Mom
Josephine Myrtle Corbin was born with a rare birth defect called polymelia, meaning born with extra limbs, in her case, she had 4 legs, 2 normal ones and 2 smaller ones that grew from her hips. But there was more to it. She also had 2 sets of reproductive organs and 2 pelvises. Because of this rare occurrence, she’s probably one of the few people in history considered wonders. Let’s delve into Myrtle’s story and discover her exceptional life milestones.Myrtle was considered a rare and remarkable case of human development.
Josephine Myrtle Corbin, an American sideshow performer, came into the world in 1868 as a remarkable medical rarity. Affected by a condition known as dipygus, she possessed two lower bodies from the waist down. This unusual phenomenon occurred due to her body axis splitting during development, resulting in two separate pelvises side by side. Remarkably, her smaller inner legs were paired with one of her outer legs. While Myrtle could move her inner legs, but they were too weak to walk on.
Born in Tennessee to her parents, William and Nancy, Myrtle’s arrival brought both wonder and concern. At 25, her father, William, and 34-year-old mother, Nancy, welcomed the unique little Myrtle into their lives. Medical professionals noted that if Myrtle had been delivered breech, with her bottom first, it could have been potentially fatal for both her and her mother. Thankfully, Myrtle’s early days were promising, as she displayed signs of strength, weighing 10 lb (4.5kg) just 3 weeks after her birth.
Myrtle’s father was facing financial hardship and had to think of ways to support his growing family.
© Charles Eisenmann (1855-1927) / Wikimedia Commons, © Public domain, © Palette.fm
At the age of 5 weeks, people had the opportunity to visit William Corbin and marvel at his four-legged daughter for a small fee. As the years passed, Myrtle grew up accustomed to the constant stares and astonishment from those who encountered her rare condition. Her inner legs never fully developed, her right foot was clubbed, and both of the smaller legs had 3 toes on each foot.
Over the following decade, William took Myrtle on a journey across the country, where she participated in fairs, sideshows, and dime museums. By the time she turned 14, she had achieved success and managed to secure a lucrative contract paying her an unusually high salary of $250 per week.
The four-legged girl, Myrtle, had a younger sister named Ann, who fortunately did not suffer from any birth defects.
Myrtle married when she was 18 and later became a mother.
© James R. Applegate (1849–1910), Philadelphia / Wikimedia Commons, © Public Domain, © Palette.fm
As Myrtle entered adulthood, she grew weary of the constant attention she received due to her condition. At 18, she decided to marry James Bicknell, a medical student, after which she retired from her performing career. Interestingly, her fame had inspired others to attempt to fake her unique deformity, but all of these impostors were eventually exposed as frauds.
A year into their marriage, Myrtle experienced troubling symptoms like fever, nausea, headaches, and side pains. Concerned, she sought medical attention, and to her disbelief, the doctor revealed that she was pregnant on her left side. Myrtle skeptically responded, saying, “If it had been on my right side, I would come nearer believing you are correct.” The pregnancy proved challenging for her health, and doctors even advised her to consider an abortion due to the severity of her illness. However, Myrtle managed to recover swiftly.
Over the following years, James and Myrtle welcomed seven more children into their family. Tragically, only 5 of them survived infancy, 4 daughters and a son.
© Unknown author / Wikimedia Commons, © Public Domain
The family lived a quiet life until their 5 children reached adulthood. Then Myrtle re-entered the show business. In 1909, when Myrtle was 41, she was a part of Huber’s Museum exhibit, appearing as The Four-Legged Girl from Cleburne, Texas. She often dressed her 4 legs in matching shoes and socks, to the audience’s delight. She was making $450 per week at the time.
In 1928, Myrtle developed a skin infection on her right leg, and the doctor diagnosed her with erysipelas or a strep infection. A week later, on May 6th, 1928, Myrtle passed away. Her casket was covered in concrete, and family members kept watch until it was fully cured to prevent grave robbers from stealing her remains.
Almost a century later, Josephine Myrtle Corbin Bicknell continues to inspire others by proving that even in the 19th century, a woman could forge a successful career and become a mother all at once.
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