Princess of Wales says 'it's a relief to now be in remission' from cancer

The Princess of Wales has said “it is a relief to now be in remission” from cancer and she is “looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead” as she thanked staff at the Royal Marsden Hospital for her “exceptional” care.

A message on social media, signed ‘C’, said: “I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year.

“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 more. The care and advice we have received throughout my time as a patient has been exceptional,” she added.

Writing about progress in her treatment, she wrote: “It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused 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.”

It is the first time Kate has used the word remission to describe where she is in her cancer journey.

Princess used visit to reflect on personal journey

It was almost a year ago that we were all shocked to hear that the princess had been admitted to hospital for abdominal surgery. We all now know how those difficult following months unfolded.

So this first visit of the new year by the Princess of Wales was the most public of thank yous to those who supported and treated her at the Royal Marsden.

It’s not a fleeting show of appreciation, with the confirmation that Kate will now become a joint patron for the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation, joining Prince William’s long held link with the hospital.

Just like the King, it shows that highlighting the incredible work of medical professionals and the human side of what it’s like to face a cancer diagnosis is clearly now an integral part of how the Princess wants to use her very public profile.

In terms of what it means for how much we’ll see of Kate this year, Kensington Palace was keen to stress that the guidance around her return to public-facing engagements hasn’t changed and that would continue to be gradual.

Today was about visiting the Marsden to reflect on her own personal journey.

Kensington Palace has stressed that she would continue to return to public-facing engagements, but gradually.

The palace described the visit as reflecting her “own personal cancer journey”.

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