Months after she announced she had completed chemotherapy, Kate Middleton is sharing her gratitude with the hospital that treated her during what must have been a truly difficult year. On Tuesday, Kate stopped in at Royal Marsden Hospital in London, opening up about her own experiences with cancer while visiting with patients who are still undergoing treatment.
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Kate wanted to thank staff who had helped her during her treatment.
“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,” Kensington Palace shared in a statement, via People.
While she was being treated there, Kate didn’t get a chance to experience the hospital the same way as most patients do. “I was just saying, coming in the front entrance here, having made so many quiet, private visits, actually it’s quite nice,” she said.
Kate talked about her own journey with cancer.
Back in March 2024, Kate announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer and would be undergoing “course of preventative chemotherapy,” which we now know took place at Royal Marsden. As The Daily Mail reported, Kate spoke of her treatment while visiting with patients at the hospital on Tuesday, even saying, “I recognize that beep!” when she heard a woman’s machine go off.
“I really felt like I needed to get the sun. You need loads of water and loads of sunlight,” she said, according to the news outlet.
During treatment, Kate said that even completing daily tasks was a 'real challenge.'
“You think treatment’s finished, crack on with that … daily tasks, but that’s still like a real challenge,” Kate said during the visit, per Daily Mail. “And talking … the words totally disappear … understanding that as a patient, yes there are side effects around treatment, but actually there are more long-term side effects.”
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She also addressed the toll that supporting someone with cancer can have on their families.
While talking about how important it is for patients to continue to take good care of themselves even after treatment is complete, she said, “I feel like it’s sometimes for the loved ones around us. They need support just as much as I did as the patient,” according to Daily Mail.
Kate also told a patient, “The resilience you need to get through, first of all, a small taster of what you’ve gone through … It’s to keep coming back … to be as positive as you are. The treatments are really so different and so varied, it impacts families differently.”
The hospital also announced that Will and Kate are now Joint Patrons of the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
“This Joint Patronage was announced following a visit by Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales to our Chelsea hospital earlier today (14 January) and holds special significance, following The Princess’ own cancer journey and treatment at The Royal Marsden,” read a post from the organization on Instagram. “Her Royal Highness’ message over the last year has been one of resilience and hope, and her support for The Royal Marsden stems from a deep empathy for those facing similar challenges.”
