Kate Middleton’s heartfelt gesture leaves cancer patient emotional

Kate Middleton left a lasting impression on one of the cancer patients at the hospital where she was treated for her health scare last year.

The Princess of Wales marked her first royal engagement of the year on Tuesday as she visited the Royal Marsden Hospital, and met with cancer survivors getting treatment at the facility.

Prince William’s wife had surprised the patients with her appearance and made sure to have a one-on-one meeting with them. One particular meeting with a 60-year-old patient warmed the hearts of many during the visit.

“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,” Peter Burton, who is being treated for Multiple Myeloma, told The Mirror.

“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.”

He noted that Kate appeared “extremely personable, genuinely interested” in conversations and it wasn’t just a “photo opportunity”.

Kate had a heart-to-heart conversation with Peter where they spoke about how often people tend to think about the families caring for cancer patients, a feeling that the royal was able to “relate” to “having felt the same” with Prince William and their three children.

Of the emotional meeting, Peter shared that Kate “made me feel like the only person in the room.” 

Kate's visit has been lauded by many experts and commentators. In photos obtained by multiple outlets showed the public flocking to the gates of the hospital to get a glimpse of the princess. The public was notably gleeful as they took photos.

Royal biographer Ingrid Seward remarked that the public now looks to Kate as a "saint" especially after making the special visit to the cancer hospital.