Kate Middleton describes her cancer experience as an emotional “roller coaster” ride.

Princess Kate has opened up about her ongoing recovery from cancer, calling the journey a “roller coaster.”

Speaking during a visit to Colchester Hospital in England on Wednesday, she reflected on the emotional aftermath of treatment. “You put on a brave face and push through during treatment,” she said, as reported by the Press Association. “Once it’s over, you expect to bounce back and return to normal, but that period afterwards is actually very challenging.”

Kate, who is a mother of three with Prince William, also noted, “You find you can’t manage things at home the way you used to — it’s a big adjustment.”

Kate, 43, shared the positive news in January that she is now in remission following her battle with cancer. The announcement brought a wave of relief and support from the public, as many had been concerned about her health in recent months.

She first revealed her cancer diagnosis in March 2024, choosing to speak publicly after undergoing a period of private treatment and recovery. While she has remained open about her experience to some extent, Kate has deliberately kept certain details private. She has not specified the exact type of cancer she was diagnosed with, nor has she gone into detail about the course of her treatment.

What she did confirm is that chemotherapy was part of her medical journey. Since then, she has spoken candidly about the emotional and physical toll of the illness, describing the recovery process as far more difficult than she initially expected. Despite her challenges, Kate continues to focus on healing and gradually resuming her royal duties, while also being present for her family and three young children.

In speaking with cancer patients, Kate reflected on the recovery process, saying it’s not as straightforward as people expect.

“It’s a roller coaster. It’s not one smooth plain, which you expect it to be, but the reality is it’s not. You go through hard times, and to have a place like this, to have the support network, whether its through creativity and singing or gardening, whatever it might be, is so valuable, and it’s great that this community has it,” she said. “It would be great if lots of communities had this kind of support.”

While at the hospital, Kate visited the RHS Wellbeing Garden, where she took time to plant some roses.

Along with spending time with cancer patients at the hospital, Kate also engaged with staff and volunteers, sharing more about how receiving a cancer diagnosis had been a truly “life-changing” experience.

“It’s life-changing for anyone, through first diagnosis or post-treatment and things like that, it is a life-changing experience both for the individual patient but also for the families as well,” she said. “And actually, it sometimes goes unrecognized, you don’t necessarily, particularly when it’s the first time, you don’t appreciate how much impact it is going to have. You have to find your new normal, and that takes time.”