The Princess of Wales has paid an emotional visit to the hospital where she received treatment for cancer in her first solo public engagement in more than a year – and opened up on how daily life can still be a challenge.
Today Kate, 43, visited the Royal Marsden Hospital in London as the she wanted the opportunity to personally thank the staff for their exceptional care, support and compassion over the past year. She also wanted to show her support to those currently going through treatment, royal sources said.
The princess finished chemotherapy treatment at the end of last summer, having been diagnosed with the disease in February after spending two weeks at The London Clinic in Marylebone following abdominal surgery.
During the visit today, Kate met four cancer patients and shared stories with them. She joked that it was a novelty for her to enter through the front door, having made “so many quiet visits”, adding that it was “quite nice” to see the proper reception. “It’s really tough,” she empathised with one patient who was having chemotherapy. “It’s such a shock”.
“Everyone said to me please keep a positive mindset, it makes such a difference,” she said, adding that “When I came in everyone said make sure you have all your warm things [clothes] on” because of the side effects. The princess asked patient’s details of their treatment, trials, wellbeing, and asked after their families.
“Oh my goodness,” she exclaimed on occasion, hearing difficult accounts of long treatment, and shook her head sympathetically. Of the importance of looking after oneself during and after treatment, she said: “I really felt like I needed to get the sun. You need loads of water and loads of sunlight.”
When one woman’s machinery started beeping during their conversation, signalling treatment was needed, she said: “I recognise that beep!” Hearing about one man’s diagnosis, the Princess said: “The body is amazing at telling us ‘you need to take time out’.”
Ruth Bosworth, whose husband Richard was having treatment, told the Princess she had “managed the children [George, Charlotte and Louis] so well”, making her smile warmly. A number of the patients opened the conversation by asking how the Princess was feeling. She replied that she was doing well, but recalled the cycle of treatment saying “sometimes you feel relatively well, and then you have another one.”
She added: “Sometimes from the outside we all think you’ve finished treatment and you go back to things. But it’s hard to get back to normal.” She told numberous patients that it was so important to keep “doing the things that give you joy”. “It makes you appreciate all the small things in life that you take for granted,” she said of a cancer diganosis.
The Princess also spoke to doctors and nurses involved in care and research, as well as pilot projects at the Marsden to improve holistic care. Speaking of receiving a diagnosis, she said: “It’s the uncertainly of that initial dignosis. It’s such a wealth of information. Understanding the diagnosis, it’s a massive amount of information to take on as a patient. Having that continuinity, in the clinical setting and outside in the home setting, is so important.”
Of the wider impact of treatment on patients, the Princess added: “You think the treatment has finished and you can crack on and get back to normal, but that’s still a real challenge. The words totally disappear. And understanding that as a patient, yes there are side effects around treatment but actually there are more long term side effects.”
In a discussion about holistic care, she repeated that the “continuity is so important, on good days and bad days”. She added: “I feel like it’s sometimes for the loved ones around us. They need support just as much as I did as the patient.” The Princess also praised the Marsden staff highly, saying she had heard from many patients how much their care had helped. “Whilst they don’t want to be there, they’re very grateful for everything the Marsden does,” she said.
Her final official introduction was to Scout, the on-hand Pets As Therapy dog. Bending over to stroke Scout who offered a paw, the Princess said: “I bet patients absolutely love her.” She seemed surprised to see the number of people waiting to see her outside of the medical treatment room, stopping to say hello.
As she left the hospital, the Princess made a mini impromptu walkabout among patients and their supporters who had gathered in the corridor to see her.
Asking about their treatment, she leaned in for a tight hug with Rebecca Mendlesohn, 57, who is on a trial for secondary cancer – breast and liver – and Tina Adumou, whose 19-year-old daughter is currently in ICU and broke down into tears when she told the princess about it.
Putting an arm around her, Kate asked questions and reassured her that she was in the best possible place. “I wish I could do more,” she said, with feeling. “It will get better. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Best of luck,” she said as she left. “You are in the best hands.”
The poignant visit today also coincided with Kate joining her husband Prince William as joint Royal Patron of the Royal Marsden, a role once previously held by the late Princess Diana. The Royal Marsden is a research active cancer centre and plays an important role in helping advance cancer treatment for others in the UK and around the world.
In her role as joint Royal Patron, Kensington Palace said Kate is looking forward to supporting The Marsden’s work in advancing cancer research, treatment, and care as well as learning more about how it can benefit patients in the future. After announcing a leave of absence from royal life, Kate managed to make public appearances at the King’s official birthday in London, Trooping the Colour in London, and joined her sister Pippa and daughter Princess Charlotte at the Wimbledon Championships last June.
Kensington Palace was also keen to stress that despite today’s visit, Kate’s return to public duties would be gradual and the engagemeent today was all about her own personal journey. A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: “The Princess wanted to make the journey to both show her gratitude to the incredible team, but also highlight the world leading care and treatment the Marsden provides.”
Today’s engagement marks the first time Kate has been seen in public since she joined the rest of the Royal Family for their annual Christmas Day walk to church in Sandringham. It also comes just days after she turned 43 when Prince William paid an emotional tribute to his wife after a turbulent year along with a beautiful new photo of the princess.
William issued the unprecendented written message on social media publicly praising her as an “incredible wife and mother” and hailing the strength she has shown in the past year following her cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy treatment as ‘remarkable’. The message was accompanied by a new, unseen picture of Kate taken by Matt Porteous, in Windsor, last summer showing the princess looking relaxed and smiling with her hands in her jeans pockets and wearing a gingham scarf.
In his message declaring his love, William wrote: “To the most incredible wife and mother. The strength you’ve shown over the last year has been remarkable. George, Charlotte, Louis and I are so proud of you. Happy Birthday, Catherine. We love you. W”.
Later this week marks a year since she was admitted to hospital for abdominal surgery on January 16, just seven days after her 42nd birthday. She spent nearly two weeks in the London Clinic after undergoing the major operation, and was recuperating at home when she was told she had cancer and had to begin chemotherapy. The royal family is hoping for a better 2025 after what William described as a ‘brutal’ and probably “the hardest year” of his life, with his father, the King, also diagnosed with the disease.
The princess, a future queen, is expected to continue her gradual return to public duties with more appearances this year. William and Kate look set to carry out an overseas visit together, with the prince hinting as much. “I think hopefully Catherine will be doing a bit more next year, so we’ll have some more trips maybe lined up,” he said during his tour to Cape Town last autumn.
Kate said in September after completing her treatment: “Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes.”
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