London:

Catherine, Princess of Wales, said on Tuesday she was “in remission” from cancer after she and husband Prince William visited the specialist London hospital where she was treated.

“It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focussed on recovery,” the princess posted on Instagram, alongside a picture of her visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital.

The couple thanked staff and met patients at the specialist cancer centre operating across three sites in the capital.

“I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year,” Catherine wrote on Instagram.

“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.

The visit came as Kensington Palace announced that the couple had become the hospital’s joint patrons.

As patrons, members of the royal family support over 3,000 organisations such as charities and hospitals by highlighting their work through visits.

“In my new role as joint patron of The Royal Marsden, my hope is that by supporting groundbreaking research and clinical excellence, as well as promoting patient and family wellbeing, we might save many more lives, and transform the experience of all those impacted by cancer,” said the princess.

The visit was said to be “incredibly poignant” for the princess, also known as Kate, who turned 43 last week.

The future queen, seen as key to maintaining the royals’ position in a changing Britain, revealed last March she had been diagnosed with an unspecified cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy.

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Prince William has shared the details of a gift he once gave Princess Kate early in their relationship – one that has since become a source of playful teasing.

Prince William and Kate Middleton, both 42, met in 2001 at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.

“I did get my wife a pair of binoculars once. She’s never let me forget that,” the Prince of Wales revealed during an appearance on BBC Radio Five Live.

“That was early on in the courtship – I think that sealed the deal. It didn’t go well. Honestly, I have no idea why I bought her a pair of binoculars, it seemed like a good idea at the time,” he added.

While the binoculars didn’t quite hit the mark as a romantic gift, they have since become a humorous memory for the royal couple. It seems that light-hearted gifts have become a tradition within the royal family, particularly during Christmas.

William’s younger brother, Prince Harry, in his 2023 memoir Spare, had also shared that Princess Margaret, the sister of Queen Elizabeth II, once gave him a quirky fish-shaped ballpoint pen.

The royals are known for exchanging amusing presents, with Prince Harry having previously gifted Queen Elizabeth II a cheeky shower cap emblazoned with the words, “Ain’t life a b-h.” Meanwhile, Kate is said to have once given Harry a “grow-your-own-girlfriend” kit.

This year, the royal family continued its festive traditions at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, where they celebrated Christmas. Prince William, in preparation for the event, disclosed he was expecting to welcome 45 guests to the estate, expecting a lively gathering. Among those joining King Charles III and Queen Camilla for the holiday celebrations were William and Kate’s children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

This holiday season is expected to be particularly meaningful for the family as they reunite after a challenging year. King Charles III continues his cancer treatment, while Princess Kate shared in September that she had completed her preventive chemotherapy.

Prince Harry, his wife Meghan Markle, and their children – Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet – were reportedly not invited to join the royal festivities at Sandringham.

Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales, Prince Louis, front, Princess Charlotte and Prince George arrive for the ceremony at Horse Guards Parade, London, on June 15, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Kate, Britain’s Princess of Wales, made her first public appearance on Saturday since surgery five months ago revealed the presence of cancer.

Kate, wearing a pale outfit, rode in a carriage with her children at the “Trooping the Colour”, an annual military parade held in central London to mark the official birthday of the British monarch, King Charles.