Princess Kate beams as she joins King and Queen at cancer reception | Royal | News

The Princess of Wales joined the King and Queen last night to celebrate 125 years of Cancer Research UK. Catherine, whose attendance at the event was announced just hours ago by Kensington Palace, joined the royal couple to celebrate the charity’s invaluable work in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

High-profile supporters of the charity, including Davina McCall, Hannah Fry, Adele Roberts and Roman and Storm Keating, joined the royal trio for a chat. After they shook hands, Mrs. McCall told Catherine it had been “an absolute honor” to meet her.

The pair later discussed Ms McCall’s cancer journey, with the TV presenter telling the princess that speaking publicly about her own cancer experience was “liberating”.

Speaking later, the TV presenter said his meeting with the Princess of Wales at the Cancer Research UK reception was “really wonderful”.

Ms McCall told the Press Association: “It’s been a really wonderful transformation and they (the King, Queen and princess) are all wonderful. I can’t imagine what it’s like to go through something like cancer and then have to tell people about it, although it would be so much easier and nicer not to have to share it with the world.”

“And I have to say, after my brain tumor, I didn’t really want to do it myself.”

She later added: “But sharing it and connecting with other people or feeling like I could help really helped me get through it.”

Ms. McCall had surgery to remove a benign brain tumor in 2024. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in October last year and had surgery to remove a lump, but said in April that “all is well” now.

Wearing a detachable floral red polka dot midi dress by Rodarte, the princess also spoke to the widow of ‘gut baby’ Dame Deborah James, who was honored by the Prince of Wales for her incredible fundraising and campaign against incurable bowel cancer.

Dame Deborah received the honor from the future king at a private ceremony at her family home in May 2022, just weeks before her death.

“I think about you a lot,” her husband Sebastian Bowen told the Princess.

Catherine praised Deborah for the “impact of her work” and listened as Mr Bowen described how “bittersweet” it was to exceed fundraising targets for research and clinical trials into the disease his wife had dreamed of achieving.

She also appeared to be thanking William for his sympathetic chat with the couple’s two children.

The princess replied: “That’s fine.”

The princess, who was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in early 2024 and underwent six months of chemotherapy, has a personal interest in the charity.

Now in remission, he has resumed his normal schedule of royal duties and last month returned to international travel, making a solo visit to Italy as part of his early years studies.

The King, who is currently being treated for cancer and was diagnosed with the disease a few weeks before the princess, hosted the event at St James’s Palace on Tuesday evening in honor of Cancer Research UK, of which he is a patron.

After a recent high-stakes trip to the United States, he continues to maintain his busy schedule and thrives on his work.

The event, which celebrated the organisation’s 125th anniversary, saw the royal trio meet researchers, clinicians, volunteers and partners involved in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer at an evening reception.

Also shown were immersive installations showcasing the charity’s work and visual representations of how technological innovations are transforming research into disease.

Charles, Camilla and Catherine were joined by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and the duke was joint chairman of the charity.