Princess Kate Middleton has taken her ongoing cancer recovery one step at a time.
“‘I was told in hospital that my recovery would not be linear, there will be good days and bad days, that it will take time,” Kate, 44, told Country Life in a profile published Wednesday, November 11. “This is the same in nature. It shows us that periods of rest, reflection and renewal are equally as important as moments of growth.”
Kate was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in early 2024, subsequently undergoing a preventative round of chemotherapy as treatment. The Princess of Wales announced in January 2025 that she is now in remission.
Speaking to Country Life, Kate detailed how nature has helped her recovery.
“It is definitely connected; it is about listening and paying attention. What I feel really passionate about, having had firsthand experience, is approaching illness and recovery through a whole-person approach,” the mom of three — who shares her kids with husband Prince William — explained. “Yes, serious illness creates a lot of physical challenges, but there is also a deeper part to all of us. Nature has allowed me to find a deeper connection to my mind, body and spirit.”
Kate continued, “I think that’s because nature offers something unique. It doesn’t ask anything of us. It doesn’t judge us or expect us to perform. It simply allows us to be. It really has been my sanctuary and a place I’ve instinctively wanted to go.”
Kate further acknowledged how science is now able to “back up what [individuals] instinctively know and feel.”
“Humans have always turned to nature. Whether it is the beach for healing and recovery, the countryside for peace and perspective or the mountains to find solitude, people have long sought comfort in the natural world,” she told the outlet. “It is such a restorative environment, and incorporating nature into someone’s recovery pathway is vital. Having a sense of connection, trusted people around you and places where you feel at peace can be incredibly important during difficult times.”
For Kate, the natural world even helped provide hope for her eventual recovery.
“I find hope in the lessons nature teaches: that, despite the challenges life may throw at us, we are not alone and that we’re interconnected with something bigger than ourselves,” the duchess said. “Nature reminds us that change is inevitable. We might not be able to have certainty or control every outcome, but we can do the small things, and those small things add up and do make a difference, if we nurture what is around us and have faith.”
Kate has since found that healing and recovery is also “a collective experience.”
“It is actually very simple,” she pointed out. “It’s spending quality time with each other, taking time to pay attention to the world around us, noticing ourselves and reconnecting to the things that matter to us. The things we have instinctively known since we were a child. That’s why nature has felt so important to me — it is a quiet teacher. Sometimes, when life is very loud, a quiet teacher is exactly what we need.”
