The Princess of Wales has opened up about her experience with cancer months after finishing chemotherapy treatment.
Kate Middleton was recently seen at Westminster Abbey for her annual Together at Christmas carol service. While she was at the event, singer Paloma Faith asked Kate how she was feeling about her health.
“I didn’t know this year was going to be the year that I’ve just had,” Kate told the singer, according to a video posted to X/Twitter by Channel 5 News in the U.K. “The unplanned,” Faith responded, and Kate agreed.
“The unplanned, exactly,” she said. “But I think lots of people this year have had such challenging times.”
Throughout the year, Kate had largely not appeared in various public events as she recovered from her health changes. In March, she revealed that she had been diagnosed with an unknown form of cancer. For the following nine months, she underwent “preventative chemotherapy” and was announced as cancer-free in September.
In November, Kensington Palace announced that Kate’s annual Christmas service would still take place this year. The goal of this year’s service was to reflect on “how much we need each other, especially in the most difficult times of our lives.” According to the announcement, Kate wanted this year’s service to specifically focus on the importance of love and empathy and how much people need the support of others.
“The service will shine a light on individuals from all over the U.K. who have shown love, kindness, and empathy towards others in their communities,” Kensington Palace said. “This year, Her Royal Highness wanted to celebrate the many people supporting those in need — individuals who have inspired, counseled, comforted, and above all else shown that love is the greatest gift we can receive.
“This theme takes inspiration from the Christmas story which encourages us to consider the experiences of others and the important human need of giving and receiving empathy.”
This year’s service included a commissioned illustration by artist Charlie Mackesy and highlighted themes of love, kindness, and empathy. The illustration showed a group of people walking towards Westminster Abbey, with their arms interlinked alongside a written message.
“How did I help?” the words read, with a reply: “You were by my side. Which was everything.”
“Love, empathy, and kindness are important messages for us all,” Mackesy said about his artwork.
“As the theme of The Princess of Wales’s Carol Service this year, it was very special to have been asked to create the illustration for the Order of Service. I hope it reminds us of the beauty of being there for each other at Christmas.”
Ahead of the service, Kate shortly spoke about the Christmas holiday as she called it an “opportunity to slow down and reflect on the deeper things that connect us all.”
Her husband, the Prince of Wales, also issued a reading during the service, as one of the lines read: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them light has shined.”
This event marked the fourth time that Kate has held her Together At Christmas carol service.