CNN – Catherine, Princess of Wales has reflected on the “really difficult” aftermath of chemotherapy during her first public appearance since unexpectedly withdrawing from Royal Ascot two weeks ago.
During a visit to a wellbeing garden at Colchester Hospital, the princess told patients: “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,” she added.
Kate visited the hospital garden in the southeast of England to “celebrate the incredible healing power of nature,” according to Kensington Palace.
During the visit, the princess also met with patients and staff at the hospital’s Cancer Wellbeing Centre “to understand how gardens in healthcare settings play a crucial role in promoting good health outcomes, preventing poor health and supporting increased recovery time,” the palace said.
Kate, 43, has underlined the importance of nature in her health journey over the last year.
“Over the past year, nature has been my sanctuary,” she said in a video posted on X to mark Mental Health Awareness Week in May.
Kate revealed her cancer diagnosis and that she had started chemotherapy last March. As she underwent treatment, she stepped back from public life and only made a few rare appearances last summer.
In September, she announced she had completed chemotherapy …
