Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales revealed that she is going through a “really difficult” phase post chemotherapy. She paid a visit to a wellbeing garden at Colchester Hospital, in Essex, England on Wednesday. This is her first public appearance since unexpectedly pulling out from Royal Ascot two weeks ago.
“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.’ 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,” Kate said.
The mother-of-three went to the hospital garden in the southeast of England to “celebrate the incredible healing power of nature,” Kensington Palace said.
Kate also met with patients and workers at the hospital’s Cancer Wellbeing Centre during the visit “to understand how gardens in healthcare settings play a crucial role in promoting good health outcomes, preventing poor health, and supporting increased recovery time,” the palace added.
Over the past year, 43-year-old princess has emphasised the value of nature in her health journey.
“Over the past year, nature has been my sanctuary,” she said in a video posted on X to mark Mental Health Awareness Week in May.
In March of last year, Kate disclosed that she had been diagnosed with cancer and that she had begun chemotherapy. She avoided the spotlight and only made a few rare appearances last summer while undergoing treatment. She declared in September that she was “doing what I can to stay cancer free” after finishing treatment.
The British royal is reportedly trying to strike the correct balance as she resumes her public duties following treatment, despite making more appearances this year.
Kate had attended several engagements in the past several weeks, including two significant royal calendar events—the Order of the Garter service in Windsor and Trooping the Colour in London—before abruptly pulling out of Royal Ascot.
She returned to her public duties when she welcome Melinda French Gates t along with her husband Prince William for a meeting at Windsor Castle last week.
The British news agency PA Media reported that they were believed to have discussed about their charitable endeavours.
The Royal Horticultural Society donated 50 “Catherine’s Rose” plants, a specially bred rose named in Kate’s honour, to Colchester Hospital on Wednesday, the same day Kate visited the hospital. She planted some of these roses, the proceeds of which will be donated to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity when they are sold commercially.
Since her cancer diagnosis, Kate has become deeply involved with the charity. Kensington Palace announced in January that she was named as a joint patron of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, a specialised cancer centre in Chelsea, west London, where she underwent treatment.
The charity will utilise the money raised from the sale of these roses to launch a specialised program that will help cancer patients cope with the disease, and when treatment is over.