Stephen Colbert reacts to backlash over cruel jokes about ailing Kate Middleton

Stephen Colbert is on way to find a remedy after shooting himself to the foot with cruel jokes towards cancer-stricken Kate Middleton who is undergoing a course of preventative chemotherapy.

The US talk show host has expressed regret about his recent dig at ailing Princess Kate as he appeared on his show, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, on Monday.

The 59-year-old jumped on the trend of mocking the rumoured disappearance of Princess Kate, something which celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Blake Lively also did.

On Monday evening, the talk show host appeared on his show to address the backlash, saying: "You know, folks, I don’t know if you have noticed, but we do a lot of shows and I tell a lot of jokes, and I tell jokes about a lot of different things, mostly what everybody’s talking about.

"And for the last six weeks to two months, everybody has been talking about the mystery of Kate Middleton’s disappearance from public life. And two weeks ago, we did some jokes about that mystery and all of the reporting about that.

"And when I made those jokes, that upset some people and — even before her diagnosis was revealed, and I can understand that. I mean, a lot of my jokes have upset people in the past. And I’m sure some of my jokes will upset people in the future.

The US TV hos t went on vowing: "But there is a standard that I try to hold myself to. And that is, I do not make light of somebody else’s tragedy.

"Now, I don’t know whether her prognosis is a tragic one, she is the future Queen of England and I assume she’s going to be be getting the best possible medical care, but regardless of what it is, I know and I’m sure many of you, far too many of us know that any cancer diagnosis of any kind is harrowing for the patient and for their family.

"And... though I’m sure they don’t need it from me, I and everyone here at 'The Late Show' would like to extend our well wishes and heartfelt hope that her recovery is swift and thorough."

It comes after Princess Kate made heartbreaking announcement about her cancer diagnosis and treatment in a video statement on Friday.