Kate Middleton has given a candid insight into her health journey behind-the-scenes on a recent visit to Colchester Hospital. Speaking with visitors and staff, the Princess of Wales revealed that her own experience during, and after, cancer treatment remains a challenge to this day.
In March 2024, Princess Catherine shared that she had been receiving treatment for cancer via a video message, explaining that she and Prince William had delayed addressing the diagnosis publically to give their children, George, Charlotte and Louis, time to process the news.
Reflecting on her experience while revealing she was in remission earlier this year, she noted her diagnosis had been “complex, scary and unpredictable.”
Princess Catherine recalled the “life-changing” time at her most recent visit, telling patients, “you put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment, treatment’s done – then it’s like ‘I can crack on, get back to normal’.
Emphasising the importance of support after treatment, she expressed how isolating the post-treatment experience can be. “But actually, the phase afterwards is really difficult, you’re not necessarily under the clinical team any longer, but you’re not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to do.”
“It’s life-changing for anyone, through first diagnosis or post treatment and things like that, it is a life-changing experience both for the patient but also for the families as well,” she added.
“And actually it sometimes goes unrecognised, you don’t necessarily, particularly when it’s the first time, appreciate how much impact it is going to have.”
Hearing from a group of patients undergoing their own cancer treatment, Kate Middleton spoke about prioritising recovery and giving yourself the time to come to terms with what’s happened.
“You have to find your new normal and that takes time… and it’s a rollercoaster it’s not one smooth plane, which you expect it to be. But the reality is it’s not, you go through hard times,” she shared.
“There is this whole phase when you finish your treatment that you, yourself, everybody, expects you, right you’ve finished your time, go, you’re better, and that’s not the case at all.”
She made the comments on her first public engagement since pulling out of a scheduled appearance at this year’s Royal Ascot.
As part of the engagement, Kate Middleton visited the “wellbeing garden” at Colchester, which has been set up to help patient receiving cancer treatment, and going through other illnesses, in their recovery.
