The Princess of Wales has spoken of the challenge to “get back to normal” after her cancer treatment, as she shared experiences with patients and thanked staff at the hospital where she was treated.

Catherine visited the Royal Marsden Hospital in west London, personally thanking doctors and nurses for their care and compassion – on a visit that also confirmed this was where she had undergone treatment.

She spoke to cancer patients with the empathy of her own first-hand experiences, in what was her most significant solo royal engagement since her treatment ended.

Catherine told a woman who was having chemotherapy: “It’s really tough… It’s such a shock… Everyone said to me, ‘please keep a positive mindset, it makes such a difference’.”

Catherine, arriving as a visitor now rather than as a patient, sympathised with those undergoing treatment – and described how she was still feeling the long-term effects.

“You think the treatment has finished and you can crack on and get back to normal, but that’s still a real challenge,” she said.

“The words totally disappear. And understanding that as a patient – yes, there are side effects around treatment, but actually there are more long-term side effects.”

The princess told patients at the hospital: “The body is amazing at telling us ‘you need to take time out’.”

Asked how she was feeling, Catherine said she was doing well, but added: “Sometimes from the outside we all think you’ve finished treatment and you go back to things. But it’s hard to get back to normal.”

Before she left, Catherine hugged a woman who appeared to be a visitor.

“I’m sorry. I wish there was more I could do to help,” the princess told the woman.

“I wanted to come and show my support for the amazing work that’s going on here and for those who are going through treatment and having such a hard time.”

Catherine added: “Are you ok? Yes? There is light at the end of that tunnel. Very nice to meet you and best of luck. You are in the best of hands.”

A Kensington Palace spokesman described the personal importance of the visit, saying: “The princess wanted to make the journey to both show her gratitude to the incredible team, but also highlight the world leading care and treatment the Marsden provides.”

It’s almost a year since the princess’s health problems were first revealed – with an announcement last January that she had undergone abdominal surgery.

Catherine then announced in a video statement in March that she was in the early stages of receiving cancer treatment – and in September released a video saying that her chemotherapy had ended.

Since the end of her treatment she has gradually returned to more public events, including Remembrance Sunday and her Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey, which were seen as positive signs of her recovery.

The princess has now made her first big engagement of 2025 – a return to the hospital where she was treated, going to see those who helped her at the Royal Marsden, which specialises in cancer treatment and research.

Catherine has become the hospital’s joint royal patron, with Prince William already a patron.

Diana, Princess of Wales, had been a previous royal patron.

The Royal Marsden, which treats 59,000 patients each year, was founded as a specialist cancer hospital in 1851.