Princess Kate's Health Problems Didn't Go When Treatment Stopped
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Princess Kate has described the "very scary, very daunting experience" of finishing her cancer treatment only to find she was still "not able to function normally at home."
The Princess of Wales made the remarks on Wednesday during a visit to the Royal Horticultural Society's Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital in Essex, England, which aims to provide a space where staff, patients and visitors can enjoy being in nature.
"There is a whole phase when you finish your treatment, everybody expects you to be better—go. But that's not the case at all," she said.
Princess Kate during a visit to the RHS's Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital on July 2, 2025, in Essex, U.K.
Princess Kate during a visit to the RHS's Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital on July 2, 2025, in Essex, U.K.
Stefan Rousseau -Why It Matters
Kate announced she had finished chemotherapy in September and by January disclosed on social media that she was officially in remission.
However, her workload has continued to be lighter than it was before her health crisis and in June she appeared to cancel an announced visit to Ascot Racecourse. Newsweek understands the princess had not intended to go and the announcement she would be there was a result of a mix up between the palace and organizers.
Her latest comments lend greater insight, though, into why she is still maintaining a scaled-down workload six months after announcing she was in remission.
What To Know
Quoted by the Daily Mail, Kate told patients and volunteers: "You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment. Treatment's done, then it's like, 'I can crack on, get back to normal,' but actually the phase afterwards is really difficult.
"You're not necessarily under the clinical team any longer but you're not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to.
"And actually someone to help talk you through that, show you and guide you through that sort of phase that comes after treatment I think is really valuable."
Kate looked chic in a beige Blazé Milano blazer and matching striped Ralph Lauren shirt.
A palace press release said Wednesday's visit to Colchester Hospital was to "celebrate the incredible healing power of nature and raise awareness of the important role that spending time in nature plays in bringing us joy and supporting our mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing."
It was her first public appearance since it emerged that she was not attending Royal Ascot in June, underscoring her cautious approach to resuming royal duties.
The Princess' visit included planting "Catherine's Rose," a flower named in her honor, in the Wellbeing Garden. Proceeds from the rose's sales support a cancer charity, reflecting her ongoing commitment to cancer awareness and support.
Kate's openness about the challenges of posttreatment life offers a rare glimpse into the personal struggles faced by cancer survivors, highlighting the need for continued support and understanding beyond the completion of medical procedures.
What People Are Saying
The Kensington Palace press release said: "The Princess' visit coincides with the donation of 50 'Catherine's Rose' plants, named for The Princess by the RHS with funds from sales going to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, to Colchester Hospital.
"Five hundred 'Catherine's Rose' plants will be donated to wellbeing and community gardens across the UK this summer, including Maggie's gardens for people affected by cancer, East Anglia's Children's Hospices and Horatio's Gardens for those living with spinal injuries."
Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Woman Wants To Make Crucial Point About Botox—so She Injects Half Her Face
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Botox myths often center around fears of a frozen face, permanence, and safety. But one aesthetic nurse practitioner has tried to set the record straight by conducting her own experiment and sharing it online. Brittany Krautheim, 41, decided to inject only half of her face with shots of the neurotoxin to show exactly how it works by temporarily preventing muscle movement. In a series of TikTok clips, she discusses the effect on each part of her face in detail. Newsweek spoke to Krautheim via email about one of those videos—specifically her forehead-focused clip, shared to her account @skndeepbritt, which has amassed 2.5 million views. "I wanted to do this series of videos to really educate the general public about what Botox does, what it is capable of, realistic results, and expectations of treatment," she told Newsweek. The left side is smooth and the right has lines when she raises her eyebrows. The left side is smooth and the right has lines when she raises her eyebrows. TikTok/@skndeepbritt There was a 4 percent rise in neuromodulator injections in 2024, with 9,883,711 procedures performed, up from 9,480,949 in 2023, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. But that doesn't mean people don't still have questions or worries. Based in Maryland, Krautheim has been a nurse for 21 years. She explained that people often reach out to her with questions about Botox, so she wanted to offer a clear, visual explanation. "That way, if people are interested in a treatment like this, they can be well educated and pursue it further if they desire," she told Newsweek. In the video, Krautheim explains that as people age, their facial muscles work harder to keep the skin lifted. This is a key reason wrinkles develop over time. She notes that people under 60 aren't excessively lifting their brows but are still expressing emotions—something she demonstrates by making surprised and happy faces. She explains that these expressions involve moving the eyebrows, which causes lines to form as we age and produce less collagen. Collagen is a protein in the skin that provides structure and elasticity; its decline with age leads to less firm, more wrinkle-prone skin. To illustrate the impact of Botox, Krautheim injected the left side of her forehead. She then raises her right brow, which moves much higher and creates visible lines, while the treated side remains smooth. Since posting the clips, Krautheim told Newsweek that she has now balanced things out. "I have injected the other half of my face with Botox," she said. "It did start to feel a bit strange to just have one side of my face hyper animated but it was a great conversation starter." Indeed, the clip has certainly become a talking point online, receiving more than 88,000 likes and 1,035 comments. "Your non injected side is what I would prefer, but support people doing what they want," said one user and another disagreed: "The injected side looks good! She still has expression there's just no visible lines there! Her brow still moves! I'm all for Botox! Thanks for educating the humans!" However not everyone feels the same, with some users favoring the non-Botox side. "I think the consensus is the non Botox side looks more natural and better. Sorry to say," said a third commenter. Newsweek reached out to Botox for a comment.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Dog Begs To Go Outside Despite Scorching Heat—His Reaction Says It All
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Bernese mountain dog has left viewers on TikTok in hysterics after his hilarious response to a recent heatwave perfectly captured how many people—and pets—are coping with summer temperatures. The large dog, named Burt, could be seen urgently begging to go outside in the video from June 26 by @burttheberniesmom. Not long after his owner opened the door, Burt quickly opted for a U-turn, racing back indoors and whining in disapproval, clearly overwhelmed by the sweltering conditions. The clip, captioned "Burt has a lot to say about this heat," has struck a chord with viewers online, amassing over 1.5 million views and more than 313,000 likes to date. Many viewers on TikTok joked that the dog looked like he was complaining about the weather in a very human way, as he barked, growled, and whimpered with what seemed like comic frustration at the heat. But behind the humor lies a more serious message about pet safety during extreme temperatures. "Heat stroke occurs when the body's temperature reaches a dangerous level, typically above 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius)," Annie-Mae Levy, a professional dog trainer and behaviorist at Woofz by nove8, told Newsweek. "But animals will become distressed before reaching this temperature." Levy explained that symptoms of heat stress can escalate quickly and include rapid, heavy panting, extreme lethargy, weakness, drooling or vomiting, dizziness, a rapid heart rate, and in severe cases, seizures or unresponsiveness. "It takes minutes for heat stroke to go from bad to worse," she said. "Whether treating a cherished pet, a familiar stray, or a wild creature, knowledge and compassion could be the difference between life and death." To reduce risk during heatwaves, Levy advised several preventative measures. "Stay indoors as temperatures soar, save walkies for early morning or until the late evening, and avoid mowing the lawn to help wildlife stay cool," she said. A Bernese mountain dog runs in a field on a hot day in this stock image. A Bernese mountain dog runs in a field on a hot day in this stock image. Getty Images She also urged pet owners to avoid leaving animals in vehicles, where interior temperatures can become deadly within minutes. "A vehicle can quickly become a sauna with the air-con switched off, and even a few minutes can be fatal," Levy added. For dogs staying home, Levy recommended cooling tools like vests, mats and fans, while noting that breed, age and weight all play a role in heat tolerance. "Certain animals, such as brachycephalic dogs, are particularly susceptible to heat stroke," she said. "Also, elderly and overweight dogs are at a higher risk of suffering in hot weather, so extra caution is necessary." Brachycephalic dogs are shorter-nosed and flat-faced breeds such as pugs, French bulldogs, Boston terriers and English bulldogs. Newsweek reached out to @burttheberniesmom for more information via TikTok. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Mom Sees Son Playing With New Toy, Then Has Emotional Realization
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A woman who noticed her youngest son had taken a liking to a particular toy was stunned when she finally realized why. Mom-of-two Rebecca Hill, from Pennsylvania, had gifted her 20-month-old son a Fisher-Price Little People toy set, for the simple reason he "loves trucks." However, the toy set would take on greater significance in the days that followed. "He played with the truck for a few days and I noticed he was paying more attention to the figurine," Hill told Newsweek. "He was just carrying around the little man." A still from the video showing the toy that Rebecca Hill's 20-month-old son become fixated on. A still from the video showing the toy that Rebecca Hill's 20-month-old son become fixated on. TikTok/beckyllih Taken by the pleasure her son seemed to be deriving from the toy, Hill decided to document the moment on camera. "I figured, let me get a quick picture before I take it [the figurine] while he naps. I then decided to take a cute video of him snuggling with it to show my husband," she said. That was the moment the significance of it became apparent. "It wasn't until I saw he was napping with it that it really hit me," Hill said. "I then realized how much the figurine actually resembled his dad and then it all made sense." When it comes to kids and toys, less can often be more. A 2018 study published in the journal infant Behavior and Development found that children who had fewer toys engaged in healthier play and benefited from deeper cognitive development. As part of the research, 36 toddlers aged between 18 and 30 months took part in free-play sessions. Each child was given either four toys or 16 to play with. The study revealed how those given fewer toys played for longer periods of time and in more varied ways. Hill's young son was certainly content with just the one toy. And when the mom explained her theory to husband Leo, he was surprised too. "My husband was shocked when he finally noticed the similarities and felt so proud that our son was doting over a little figurine that resembled him," Hill said. She decided to create a video for her TikTok account @beckyllih, showcasing just how alike her son's toy and dad really were. "I realized my husband had almost the exact clothes to match and I figured a video might be a fun idea to compare," she said. "It did not disappoint." The video has gone viral, with 2.5 million views and counting. While her son's focus remains firmly fixed on his new toy friend, he has also been enjoying the family's newfound fame on social media. "Our son doesn't really talk much yet but I can tell he loves the toy so much," Hill said. "We showed him the TikTok I made and he lights up while watching it, laughing and smiling."
