5 Things Princess Kate Had to Give Up After Her Cancer Diagnosis

Princess Kate's cancer diagnosis did not just put her royal duties on pause; it changed many parts of her everyday life. While she has gradually returned to public engagements since announcing she is in remission, the Princess of Wales has spoken openly about the challenges of recovery and adjusting to a "new normal."

During a visit to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in June 2026, Kate opened up about one of the lesser-known effects of cancer treatment. She revealed that chemotherapy left her unable to "read or focus on anything," making it difficult to enjoy activities she would normally turn to. She revealed (via Marie Caire), “In treatment, you know, I didn’t even have the ability to read or focus on anything, and actually color[ing] was my way of exploring interesting things.” The candid admission offered a rare glimpse into the mental and cognitive challenges she faced during recovery.

Kate stepped away from public life after undergoing abdominal surgery in January 2024, putting her royal duties on hold as she recovered. As weeks went by without any public appearances, speculation about her whereabouts quickly spread online. The rumors grew even louder after Kensington Palace released a Mother's Day family photo that was later withdrawn by several major photo agencies over Photoshop concerns. Kate later admitted, “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.” Additionally, in a personal video, she revealed that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing preventive chemotherapy. Since completing treatment, she has slowly returned to public engagements while continuing to adjust to her new normal.

International travel also understandably took a backseat during Kate's recovery. During treatment, she did not undertake any official overseas visits and instead kept her public engagements closer to home as she focused on her health. Her return to international duties came in May 2026 with a solo two-day visit to Reggio Emilia, Italy, for the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. The trip was her first official foreign visit since revealing her diagnosis and an important step in her gradual return to representing the Crown abroad.

Returning to everyday life proved to be one of Princess Kate's biggest challenges after cancer treatment. During a visit to Colchester Hospital's Cancer Wellbeing Centre in July 2025, she shared that although treatment may be over, patients are not always able to "function normally at home" as they once did. She explained, “You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism, through treatment. Treatment's done, and it's like, 'I can crack on, get back to normal again,' but actually that phase afterwards is a really difficult time.” It was one of her most candid insights into her emotional and physical adjustments that continue long after her treatment ended.

Kate's cancer journey also meant stepping away from many of the outdoor activities she had long enjoyed. After she completed the National Three Peaks Challenge in June 2026, her brother, James Middleton, revealed that the pair had spoken about climbing mountains together while she was in hospital. In an emotional message, he said, “I’m so incredibly proud of my darling sister. Two years ago, I told you we’d climb this mountain together. We talked about climbing mountains while you were in hospital, and about the incredible healing power that nature can have for both the body and the mind.” Completing the trek was hence a significant milestone for Kate, which showed she was gradually returning to her athletic lifestyle.