Kate, 43, announced in March last year that she would undergo a course of chemotherapy after tests taken following major abdominal surgery revealed that an unspecified form of cancer had been present.
She completed the course of treatment in September, and said earlier this year she was in remission.
“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,” Kate said during a visit to a hospital in Essex, southeast England.
Speaking to staff, patients and volunteers at the hospital, the princess emphasised the importance of support after treatment, noting that while patients may no longer be under clinical care, they often still struggle to “function normally at home” as they once did.
“There is a whole phase when you finish your treatment, everybody expects you to be better – go! But that’s not the case at all,” the Daily Mail reported Kate admitted.
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Kate described the cancer diagnosis and treatment as “life-changing” for both patients and their loved ones, according to PA Media, adding.
“You have to find your new normal and that takes time… and it’s a rollercoaster, it’s not one smooth plane, which you expect it to be, Kate was reported to have said at the event. “But the reality is, it’s not, you go through hard times.”
The Princess helped plant several “Catherine’s Rose” plants, a newly launched rose named in her honour by the Royal Horticultural Society, alongside staff who volunteer in the garden.
The Princess has been gradually resuming her public royal role but missed the Royal Ascot horse racing event last month, with a royal source citing her need for balance following her cancer treatment.
