Catherine, Princess of Wales, opened up about sneaking into a major U.K. hospital for secret cancer treatment and appeared moved by one patient’s comment on the day she announced she was in remission.

Princess Kate confidently walked through the front door of The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Tuesday, the same place she was smuggled into for months as a patient.

Kate’s life was turned upside down after planned abdominal surgery at a discreet private hospital, The London Clinic, in January 2024.

After the operation, tests showed “cancer had been present,” as she would later announce in a video message.

The bombshell diagnosis saw her quietly shift her outpatient treatment from the quiet corridors of the private hospital used many times by the royals before to a National Health Service hospital where care is delivered to thousands of ordinary Brits each day for free, paid for by taxes.

And that meant a special effort had to be made to keep Kate’s visits secret to protect her privacy while also giving her access to some of the country’s best specialists.

Kate hinted at the extra pressure she was under when she visited on Tuesday and spoke to patients and clinical staff.

“Coming in the front entrance here, having made so many quiet, private visits, actually it’s quite nice,” she said.

And her sweet response to one patient shed light on one aspect of her experience that created a problem that was unique to her.

One patient said: “I think you’ve managed the children amazingly well.”

Kate appeared genuinely touched as she replied: “Oh that’s kind.”

And the exchange may well have been a meaningful one as there was a major sacrifice Kate made for her children.

The princess, together with , put off publicly revealing her cancer until the end of , and ‘ school term because she had not yet told her own children.

Kate had wanted to wait until they would be able to respond to the news together as a family during their Easter holidays, meaning the young royals could adjust to the new reality before having to discuss it with their school friends.

However, at the time, she was at the center of a major social media storm in which people suggested she might have secretly died or gone missing, fueled by the fact there was clearly something people were not being told.

It was a sacrifice on behalf of her children for which she paid a heavy price in reputational terms, though she quickly got the public on side with a video message revealing her diagnosis in March, 2024.

During Tuesday’s visit, she acknowledged cancer treatment had been “really, really tough” and added: “You think treatment is finished, crack on with that…daily tasks…but that’s still a real challenge. And understanding that as a patient, yes, there are side effects around treatment, but actually there are more long-term side effects.”

Kate announced her remission on X, formerly known as Twitter, where she also said she is now a patron of the Royal Marsden.

“My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything,” she said.

“We couldn’t have asked for more. The care and advice we have received throughout my time as a patient has been exceptional.

“In my new role as Joint Patron of The Royal Marsden, my hope is, that by supporting groundbreaking research and clinical excellence, as well as promoting patient and family wellbeing, we might save many more lives, and transform the experience of all those impacted by cancer.

“It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focussed on recovery. As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal.

“I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support. C”

Williams Brown is chief royal correspondent for Regalrumination.com, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly , at and read his stories on Regalrumination.com’s

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