Princess Kate’s Heartfelt Admission About Her Cancer Journey in First 2026 Outing with Prince William
Princess Kate’s Heartfelt Admission About Her Cancer Journey in First 2026 Outing with Prince William
The Prince and Princess of Wales returned to their public duties on Thursday, surprising staff at Charing Cross Hospital in west London. Prince William, 43, and Kate, who turns 44 on Friday, are joint patrons of NHS Charities Together and wanted to show their support for healthcare workers.
Supporting Healthcare Workers
The royal couple met with staff on their tea break, spending time discussing the pressures they face during the winter virus season. They also spoke with volunteers who help improve care for patients and ease the workload of the staff.
A Shared Understanding
During the visit, Kate bonded with a volunteer who worked with chemotherapy patients. The volunteer mentioned how patients and visitors are there for hours. Kate, whose cancer is in remission, responded, “I know,” before touching William’s arm and saying, “We know.”
William’s Speech
William also spoke about his wife’s health journey in an off-the-cuff speech to NHS charity CEOs, Trustees, policymakers, and philanthropists. The future King remarked:
“Catherine and I just had a very nice tour of the rehabilitation unit upstairs and saw some of the supporting structures put together by NHS Charities Together. Both of us have had different experiences with hospitals—me working with the air ambulance and Catherine with her recent health journey. Coming here today reminds us just how important all the teams are, all the staff, and the patient interactions. It’s so heart-warming and so important that we acknowledge and appreciate all that goes on in the NHS, and that very strong bond between patient and carer.”
Making a Difference
During the visit, William and Kate saw how work funded by the Imperial Health Charity, which supports all five of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust’s hospitals, is making a difference to the workforce and patients. The Waleses then joined a roundtable with NHS charity CEOs, Trustees, policymakers, and philanthropists to discuss the important role of philanthropy in the NHS.
Kate’s Support for the NHS
The Princess wanted to join her husband to show her support for the NHS and to thank the teams at Charing Cross for their efforts over a difficult winter period, Kensington Palace said.
Holistic Care and Recovery
The couple met with patients and volunteers in an art therapy room on a ward that provides rehabilitation for patients with neurological conditions and traumas. A musician played the harp as the couple entered, and Kate commented that it was “very relaxing.” In a conversation with a patient, she said:
“I was just saying that you need the medical support, but actually being able to have the sort of holistic support alongside it… it must help the days go by.”
Kate, who studied the History of Art at university, went on to discuss how “fantastic” it was to have spaces for holistic care, adding:
“Creativity and nature played such a huge part in my recovery journey.”
Surprise Tea Party
The royal couple stunned hard-working health heroes after arriving in the canteen. They then joined a surprise tea party for volunteers and staff to say thank you for their hard work.
NHS Charities Together
NHS Charities Together represents over 220 NHS charities based in every NHS Trust and Health Board across the UK, giving £1.5 million every day to the NHS. Through their work, NHS charities help to drive innovation, transform care, and support staff wellbeing. By investing in state-of-the-art equipment, buildings, green spaces, and arts, they aim to improve care for patients and also lead prevention projects in the community that help people to stay well. William and Kate became joint patrons of the organization in December 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
First Anniversary of Remission
The engagement comes just days away from the first anniversary of the princess’s announcement at the start of 2025 that she was in remission from cancer.
Greeting NHS Staff and Volunteers
The Waleses greeted dozens of NHS staff and volunteers before leaving Charing Cross Hospital. William asked the crowd if they had “had a good new year,” adding, “Are you all busy at work? Everyone happy? Is 2026 going to be a good year?”
Kate added:
“There’s some amazing work going on here. We’ve just seen some of it today… It makes a big difference to patients’ lives.”
The couple waved at the staff as they left the building. It marked the Prince and Princess’s first public appearance of 2026 after spending the Christmas break in Sandringham. William and Kate were joined by their three children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, as they attended church on December 25 alongside the King and Queen and other family members.
