The Princess of Wales has been heralded for giving hope to people living with cancer, after bravely announcing her own diagnosis exactly two years ago. On a sunny spring day in March 2024, the future queen stunned the world when, at the age of just 42, the mum of three revealed to the world that doctors had found cancer in her body.

Over the next two minutes, the princess issued a deeply moving and heartbreaking video where she thanked well-wishers for their messages while she had been recovering from abdominal surgery several weeks before.

Dressed in a simple striped jumper and jeans, sitting on a wooden bench and surrounded by a serene spring backdrop of daffodils, Kate calmly described the most personal and astonishing experience of her life. In the video statement, Kate said the diagnosis had come as a “huge shock” on top of an “incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family”.

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The princess had been the subject of wild social media speculation regarding the nature of her surgery in January 2024 and disappearance from public life.

Just three days before her announcement on March 22, The Mirror revealed in a world exclusive how up to three members of staff at The London Clinic, where she had been treated for two weeks, had been suspended pending a criminal investigation after allegedly attempting to access her private medical records.

Kate, now 44, spoke about the “huge shock” of the diagnosis and spoke directly to others with cancer, saying: “For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.” The video message was recorded in complete secrecy by a BBC special events team before it was broadcast on the 6pm national news and online.

The princess’s announcement was a huge moment not only for her but also for the royal family, with wall to wall coverage around the world as it became apparent what both she and her family had been going through.

Kate explained that both she and her husband Prince William were concentrating on “doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family”.

She said the family now needed “some time, space and privacy”, but in typical fashion ended on a positive note with a message for others. “At this time, I am also thinking of all of those lives who have been affected by cancer. For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.”

Since then the princess has revealed how she had immersed herself in nature alongside her traditional treatment, to feel the benefits of connection with the natural world.

In recent months, during a surprise visit to the Charing Cross Hospital in London, with Prince William, the couple took a tour of the neuro-rehabilitation centre, with facilities like a therapeutic gym and a creative activities centre for the patients. “You need medical support but also a holistic approach”, Kate told one patient. The princess has also immersed herself in what she described to friends as “natural healing”.

Leaning on her love of the outdoors, alongside her weekly treatments at the Royal Marsden in Chelsea, west London, when she was able, Kate embraced the art of ‘shinrin-yoku’. The national pastime in Japan, also known in the western world as “forest bathing”, has been credited with reducing stress and promoting wellbeing.

A royal source said: “It was a deeply personal experience for the princess but one in which she wanted to share with the world on her terms. Her statement also speaks for itself. In her own words, despite what she was going through, she wanted to be a source of comfort for others going through similar experiences as well as their loved ones supporting them.”

The princess underwent six months of preventative chemotherapy following her diagnosis, where following her abdominal surgery, doctors discovered that cancer had been present in her body.

Friends have described how both the Princess and her husband turned their attention to their three children and their home life as Kate concentrated on her recovery. One said: “It has been such a profound experience for them both, but they have been together every step of the way.

“The road to recovery of course presented its challenges, but the princess certainly has a vision to help others in any way she can from her own experience.” On January 14, last year, the princess announced that she was relieved to be in remission after visiting the London hospital where she received her treatment.

Her visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital in central London, where she had undergone months of treatment, was her first solo public engagement since returning to official duties. There it was announced that she had agreed to take on a joint patronage with the Prince of Wales, to help highlight the hospital’s vital work helping patients and aiding research in the fight against cancer.

Kate embraced patients at the world-leading hospital and told them of how she had struggled getting back to normal life. She spoke candidly about her own diagnosis, the “shock” of her “really tough” chemotherapy and the challenges of getting back to normal as she thanked her “amazing” medical teams for her care over her ordeal.

At the time Dame Cally Palmer, CEO of the trust, said: “We are incredibly fortunate to receive Royal Patronage – it is inspiring for staff and patients and enables us to shine a light on the outstanding work our staff deliver every day for patients and their families.”

Talking to Katherine Field, 45, who was wearing a cold cap during her chemotherapy to preserve her hair, the princess gestured to her own arm and chest to discuss the “port” mechanism to deliver the medicine. Although she is not thought to have used a cold cap herself, Kate said: “I got so attached to it”, joking that she had hesitated when finally told “you can have it taken out”.

Speaking of receiving a diagnosis, the Princess said: "It's the uncertainty of that initial diagnosis. It's such a wealth of information. Understanding the diagnosis, it's a massive amount of information to take on as a patient. Having that continuity, in the clinical setting and outside in the home setting, is so important."

In a discussion about holistic care, she repeated that "continuity is so important, on good days and bad days". She added: “I feel like it's sometimes for the loved ones around us. They need support just as much as I did as the patient.”

Praising the princess’s bravery in facing her diagnosis and sharing her own journey, Claire Taylor, Chief Nursing Officer at Macmillan Cancer Support - of which the King is Patron - said: “By sharing her story, her Royal Highness has not only raised awareness but has given hope to people living with cancer and their loved ones. Her openness about the challenges she has faced after treatment reflects the reality for so many, that finishing treatment does not always mean the end of the cancer experience.

“Cancer can change everything and everyone’s experience of life after treatment is unique. Recovery can be a gradual process and sometimes uncertain. Some people look to make lifestyle changes – whether that’s eating healthy, becoming more active, and finding ways to reduce stress.

“But everyone is different - it’s about finding an approach that works for them. That’s why we are here, to provide support for millions of people across the UK, no matter who they are or where they live, as they adjust and find their new normal. We are incredibly thankful to the Princess of Wales for her openness when it comes to sharing her cancer experience.”

Macmillan offers in person, online and via a free, confidential Support Line every day of the week on 0808 808 00 00 including dedicated interpreters, offers support for people living with cancer and their loved ones every step of the way.