Princess Kate praises community care in emotional visit, says healing is far from linear
The Princess of Wales returned to public duties on Wednesday with a heartfelt visit to Colchester Hospital, where she opened up about the “rollercoaster” of cancer recovery, describing it as a life-altering journey for both patients and their families.
Kate, who announced her cancer diagnosis in March last year and is now in remission, toured the hospital’s Wellbeing Centre—a space that offers holistic support ranging from counselling to dietary guidance for those living with or recovering from cancer.
Wearing a soft smile but speaking with striking candour, the princess sat down with patients, volunteers and NHS staff to discuss the emotional terrain of recovery. “It’s life-changing,” she said. “Not just for the person going through it, but for everyone around them.”
She continued, “Someone once described the recovery process to me as a zig-zag. And that’s exactly how it feels—it’s not a straight line, it’s not smooth. It’s up and down. There are days when you think you’re through it, and then the next day you’re not.”
Her words were met with nods and quiet emotion from those gathered. Many of them had walked that same path—uncertain, exhausting, and often misunderstood. Kate acknowledged that once treatment ends, many assume life simply returns to normal. “But that’s not the case at all,” she said. “You have to find your new normal. And that takes time.”
Later, despite drizzling weather, the princess stepped outside to the hospital’s Wellbeing Garden—an RHS-designed space meant to aid mental and spiritual healing. There, she planted several coral-pink Catherine’s Rose bushes, named in her honour by Harkness Roses.
Wearing no gloves, she knelt in the damp earth, using her bare hands and a trowel to pat down soil alongside renowned garden designer Adam Frost. The gesture was simple but symbolic—a moment of quiet strength from someone still navigating her own recovery.
Embed from Getty Images“This is a really special space,” she said of the garden. “To have something like this in a community—where people can come, feel supported, create, connect, reflect—is so valuable.”
Opened in July 2024, the Wellbeing Garden has already become a sanctuary for staff and patients alike. Proceeds from the sale of Catherine’s Rose will go to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, helping establish new clinical training programmes to support intensive post-treatment care across the UK.
Kate’s visit came just weeks after she was said to have been “disappointed” to miss Royal Ascot for the second year running, choosing instead to focus on balance and recovery. Her reappearance today marked another quiet milestone in that journey.
In her interactions, Kate showed the kind of vulnerability and empathy that comes from lived experience. “It’s so important to have this kind of support—whether it’s singing, painting, gardening—whatever it might be,” she told a group gathered in the centre. “It’s a reminder that healing is more than medicine.”
Before leaving, the princess posed for pictures with staff and waved to a small crowd gathered outside, her composure steady but eyes reflective. She’s a royal—but in these moments, she’s also simply a mother, a survivor, and a woman helping others find their own way through the fog of illness.
Her message was clear: cancer doesn’t end with treatment. And support—real, sustained, human support—can make all the difference.
