Unknown detail about Princess Kate's 'tough' cancer treatment revealed
The Princess of Wales revealed intimate details about her cancer treatment as she visited the Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea – where she received chemotherapy.
In her first solo engagement since 2023, Kate, 43, opened up about her "really tough" chemotherapy as she spoke with patients and staff.
Talking to Katherine Field, 45, who was wearing a cold cap during her chemotherapy to preserve her hair, the Princess of Wales gestured to her own arm and chest to discuss the "port" mechanism to deliver the medicine.
"I got so attached to it," Kate said, joking that she had hesitated when finally told "you can have it taken out" now.
The Princess is not thought to have used a cold cap herself.
What is a chemotherapy port?
An implanted port – also known as a portacath – is a small device inserted under the skin which is kept in place until treatment finishes.
It attaches to a long thin tube which goes into a vein close to the heart or sometimes in the arm.
Medicine is given using a special needle inserted into the device through the skin, but this is not painful.
The port can be felt under the skin or a small bump seen, but patients can go home with a portacath in place, and it avoids the need to have needles in the arm during each course of treatment.
A cold cap can be worn during some chemotherapy treatments and its cooling effect reduces blood flow to the scalp, which reduces the amount of chemotherapy medication reaching the area and helps to prevent hair loss.
In remission
Kate expressed her gratitude to her medical teams during the unannounced visit to the hospital, which was described as "incredibly poignant" later sharing her relief in a social media message that she is now in remission.
The Princess said: "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."
She also thanked the Royal Marsden for its "exceptional" care and for "looking after me so well".
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"My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything. We couldn't have asked for me," the Princess added.
It had not been previously disclosed that Kate, who underwent chemotherapy last year, was treated at the Marsden – a world-leading state-of-the art cancer centre known for its pioneering research.
The Princess has also become joint patron of the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, alongside her husband, the Prince of Wales, who had previously been the hospital's president since 2007.
Kate's cancer diagnosis was revealed personally by the Princess in a video message in March 2024.
In a written message released last June, Kate said she had "good days and bad days”, was “not out of the woods yet" and was facing a few more months of the drug treatment.
Six months later, in a moving video message, the royal mother-of-three confirmed that she had completed chemotherapy.
"As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment," she said at the time.
"Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes."
The Palace was keen to stress that the guidance around Kate's return to public-facing engagements had not changed and it would continue to be gradual.
