Kate Middleton opens up about ‘long-term side effects’ of cancer treatment

Kate Middleton opens up about the long-term side effects of her cancer treatment.

On Tuesday, January 14, the Princess of Wales spoke to staff during a surprise visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital in London – where she was treated following her cancer diagnosis in 2024 – and revealed more about her experience as a patient.

“You think the treatment is over, so get down to it … daily tasks, but it’s still like a real challenge,” Kate, 43, told staff, according to Daily Mail. “And when you talk… 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.”

Kate also said the “continuity” of holistic care “is so important, on good days and bad days,” reported Daily Mail.

“I feel that sometimes it is for the loved ones around us. They need support as much as I did as the patient,” she added.

During her visit, Kate thanked staff at the hospital for their care and support and also met current patients undergoing treatment, including Katherine Field.

A Kensington Palace spokesman said: “The Princess wanted to make the journey both to show her gratitude to the incredible team, but also to highlight the world-leading care and treatment Marsden provides.”

Kate announced her cancer diagnosis in a personal video message in March 2024 and admitted it had “taken time” to tell her three children – Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6 – the news. That September, the princess confirmed that she had finished her chemotherapy treatment after an “incredibly tough” nine months.

In the video where she shared the news, Kate called her cancer journey “complex, scary and unpredictable” and added that “my road to healing and full recovery is long.”

On Tuesday, Ruth Bosworth, whose husband Richard was being treated at the Royal Marsden Hospital, told Kate she had “managed the children so well,” according to Daily Mail. Kate, whose specific type of cancer has not been revealed, reportedly replied with a smile and said: “Oh, that’s kind.”

She also told one patient, according to the outlet, “The resilience you need to get through, first of all, a little taste of what you’ve been through … It’s to keep coming back … to be as positive as you are. The treatments are really so different and so varied that it affects families differently.”

Following the Princess’ visit, Kensington Palace announced that she and husband Prince William had become joint patrons of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

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Dame Cally Palmer, chief executive of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said she was “delighted” at the news.

“We are incredibly fortunate to receive the Royal Patronage – it is inspirational to staff and patients and enables us to shine a light on the excellent work our staff deliver every day for patients and their families,” Palmer said in a statement from Kensington Palace.

The Princess of Wales announced in March 2024 that she was being treated for cancer, two months after having “scheduled abdominal surgery” that January.