A prominent anti-monarchy activist has taken a scathing swipe at the royals by calling Kate Middleton’s battle with cancer a  ‘soap opera’.

The CEO of the Republic, Graham Smith, has launched new attacks against the monarchy as King Charles and Princess Diana both battle cancer.

The group called the news of Kate’s cancer diagnosis a “soap-opera” and demanded an end to ‘sycophantic rubbish’ in the face of an outpouring of global sympathy for this mother-of-3.

In response to an article about Prince Edward helping the slimmed down monarchy, the author of “Abolish the Monarchy ” also jokes” that the Royal Family was really in trouble”.

The group is expected to launch a campaign against the family during the Royal Maundy Service that Queen Elizabeth is leading in Worcester Cathedral.

Smith, who had been campaigning against the monarchy over the past decade, reposted her message of support, and wrote, ‘This is a soap opera, not a news story.’

He also criticised Piers Morgan’s column in which he praised Prince William’s dignity after losing his grandparents Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip and his wife and father were both diagnosed with cancer.

He tweeted the article and wrote: “As hard as it may be, many people have to deal with personal crises like these. They manage to do this while holding down a job and without an army of servants or a PS25m salary. Stop this sycophantic rubbish.

Smith shared an article that said Prince William “knew his destiny” as King, but had to put family and marriage first for the time being. The Republic leader said: “His destiny is to retire in a republic.”