Kate Middleton’s emotional visit to the hospital where she received cancer treatment

Kate Middleton has kicked off her 2025 agenda. After overcoming one of the most difficult years of her life, the Princess of Wales is gradually returning to normality. This year promises to be a period of transition and recovery, marked by family support and the visible effects of her illness. Almost a year after announcing that she was going to undergo a planned abdominal surgery — which led to the subsequent announcement of her cancer — on Tuesday Catherine, Princess of Wales starred in her first official event of January. It was an appointment loaded with symbolism that has cleared up some mysteries about her cancer treatment: she visited the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, where she received chemotherapy, a fact that had been a secret until now.

During the hospital visit she met with other cancer patients and made a point of personally thanking the staff for their “exceptional care, support and compassion.” The princess, who turned 43 on January 9, wanted this to be her first major solo engagement in more than 12 months.

Upon entering the main entrance, the spouse of the heir to the British throne remembered her trips to the medical center: “Coming in the front entrance here, having made so many quiet, private visits, actually it’s quite nice,” she said, according to the British media outlet The Daily Mail.

Catherine chatted with patients, sharing advice on her particular case and also taking an interest in their personal stories. After leaving the hospital, Kensington Palace confirmed that both she and Prince William have become joint patrons of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust as a token of their gratitude for the treatment the princess received. In doing so, they are following in the footsteps of Princess Diana, who was also a patron of this center.

Although it seems that Kate Middleton is gradually returning to her royal commitments, her health and the protection of her three children continue to be paramount. For this reason, her goal is to carefully choose each of the events in which she will participate, to generate the greatest possible impact in projects that have a special meaning for her.

It was on January 16, 2024 that Kensington Palace’s official social media accounts announced that Kate Middleton had undergone a “planned abdominal surgery” that was successfully completed. In the same statement, they reported that she had to remain hospitalized for 10 to 14 days before returning home to continue her recovery and that she was not expected to resume her public duties until the end of March. The scant information that was released in the following weeks gave rise to an unprecedented wave of hoaxes, rumors and conspiracy theories. Finally, on March 22, the princess announced her cancer diagnosis in an emotional video. These were difficult months for the Windsors, who also had to deal with King Charles III’s cancer.

From that moment on, the princess canceled her agenda and focused on her treatment and subsequent recovery. She was rarely seen in public, and it was in September that she would announce that she had completed chemotherapy, although she acknowledged that the road “to complete recovery is long.”

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