london —
Duchess Kate completed Britain’s difficult Three Peaks Challenge over the weekend in aid of the hospital where she was treated for cancer two years ago.
She said she had taken on the endurance challenge of climbing the three highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales within 24 hours in support of the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, a specialist cancer center in Chelsea, west London.
“Many people have asked me why I’m taking on this challenge,” she said in a video message posted Sunday. “Partly it’s personal, but I’m so grateful to be here and to be strong enough to walk this hill.”
“But more importantly, it’s about giving something back and acknowledging all the great work that’s being done in this country.”
Kate, 44, announced in March 2024, two months after major abdominal surgery, that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy. Almost a year later, she said she is in remission.
Since then, she has slowly returned to royal duties. She has been deeply involved in promoting the work of The Royal Marsden and has worked to support people living with cancer. Last year Kensington Palace announced that she had been appointed co-patron of a cancer charity alongside her husband Prince William.
“I’ve met some amazing people, people living with and beyond cancer,” she said. “And I know personally how difficult that journey is, and I really wanted to use this opportunity as a way to contribute to all the great work that’s going on.”
The Duchess of Cambridge took on the Three Peaks Challenge alone, which involved climbing a total of 3,064 meters (10,052 feet), before being greeted by Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, and her parents and younger brothers Michael, Carole and James Middleton.
In a statement released by Kensington Palace, she said that by completing a challenge like this, she hopes to “explore life beyond her diagnosis”, as cancer “changes the way you think and feel and profoundly impacts every aspect of your life”.
And because of such comprehensive effects, Kate has championed ‘holistic care’, which supports not only a patient’s physical health, but also their mental, social and spiritual health.
Along with the statement, Duchess Kate also shared a fundraising link for the public to donate to Royal Marsden.
