Princess Kate made an emotional return to the Royal Marsden Hospital, where she received treatment just last year, as part of her first official engagement of 2025.
The hospital, a world leader in cancer care, was where the Princess quietly visited for several months, but this time, she entered with her head held high through the front entrance.
Greeting the staff, including Chief Executive Dame Cally Palmer and Chairman Sir Douglas Flint, Kate expressed her joy in making her public return.
“It’s quite nice to come in through the front door after so many secret visits,” she shared with a smile.
Kate revealed she would now be serving as joint patron of the hospital alongside her husband, Prince William.
She spent time speaking with those currently receiving care at the facility, showing her unwavering dedication to cancer research and treatment.
Dressed in a chic dark brown tartan coat and a burgundy polo neck and skirt, the Princess charmed both patients and staff as she walked in, greeting one woman with a warm “Very nice to meet you too.”
Chatting with another patient undergoing treatment, she showed her trademark compassion, asking, “When did you start treatment? Oh, today? How are you finding it?”
One patient praised Kate for managing her family so well throughout her diagnosis, to which the Princess humbly replied, “Oh, thanks… it’s just trying to do the best.”
During the visit, she opened up about the varied impacts of cancer treatments on families, saying, “The treatments are really so different and varied; it impacts families differently.”
She also made it clear why she chose the Marsden for this significant return: to show her support for cancer patients and to personally thank the incredible staff for their “exceptional” care and compassion during her own journey.
A Kensington Palace spokesman revealed the thoughtful reason behind the Princess’s solo visit to the Royal Marsden, saying: “The Princess wanted to express her gratitude to the incredible team and highlight the world-leading care the Marsden provides.”
While Prince William, who became President of the Royal Marsden in 2007 (a position previously held by his late mother, Diana), did not join Kate on this occasion, sources say this was a personal visit for the Princess to reflect on her own experience with the hospital.
