The Princess of Wales visited the Royal Marsden hospital in London – where she was treated for cancer – to thank staff and speak to patients, including one who said she was ‘extremely personable’

A cancer patient who met the Princess of Wales during her visit to the Royal Marsden has opened up about the special moment, saying: “She made me feel like the only person in the room.”

Peter Burton, 60, was pictured chatting to Kate and holding her hand during the surprise visit on Tuesday. He told the Mirror: “I was told we were going to be meeting a VIP and my guess was that it was going to be Prince William, but to my surprise, it was Her Royal Highness.

“Speaking to Kate, who herself has been through cancer, was really special – it felt like she could genuinely empathise with me and what I’m going through. When you see the Royal Family on TV they are carrying out a role – but Kate was extremely personable, genuinely interested in what I had to say and took time one-on-one with me and every patient.

Kate was ‘extremely personable’, Peter Burton told the Mirror ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

“She visited the day unit, which is where people are actually having treatment, so it was business as usual which made it even more genuine, and made you realise she was there because she genuinely wanted to be there and not just for a photo opportunity.” Peter has Multiple Myeloma, a cancer which affects the bone marrow, and finished his latest round of chemo at the Marsden in December.

He continued: “We spoke about how often people think about cancer patients rather than the family looking after them which can be difficult – it was something she was really able to relate to having felt the same with her husband and children. It was also nice to learn that Kate herself was treated at the Royal Marsden – it means she can really relate to patients like me.”

Peter finished his latest round of chemo at the Marsden in December ( 
Image:
Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
Kate visited the specialist cancer hospital in West London to “show her gratitude to the incredible team, but also highlight the world-leading care and treatment the Marsden provides.” It was her first solo public appearance since announcing her cancer diagnosis in March 2024 and four months after revealing she had finished treatment. It came as Kensington Palace revealed the Princess would join her husband as joint royal patron of the Marsden, a role that Prince William’s mother Diana, Princess of Wales, once held.