Birthday girl Kate in surprise visit to London hospital

By Laura Elston

The Princess of Wales is celebrating her 44th birthday, the day after making a surprise appearance to show support for under-pressure health staff.

Kate visited Charing Cross Hospital with the Prince of Wales on Thursday as the pair carried out their first public engagement of 2026.

The princess’s birthday on Friday falls days before the first anniversary of her announcement at the start of 2025 that she was in remission from cancer.

The future queen will be hoping for a fresh start in 2026, with the Wales family settling into their new home, Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park, after a move from Adelaide Cottage in the autumn.

Kate joined William, who had been planning to pay a solo visit, to drop in on National Health Service workers on a tea break in west London to offer support amid the challenging winter period, which has seen record levels of flu cases.

Chatting to volunteer Maureen Gilmour, 86, who helps patients during their chemotherapy, the princess was told that “people sit there for hours”.

Kate replied, “I know”, before touching William on the arm and adding: “We know.”

The princess had last been seen on Christmas Day when she joined William and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis and the rest of the royal family for their traditional walk to church at Sandringham in Norfolk.

George is set to enter his teens in July when he celebrates his 13th birthday.

The prince is preparing to leave his prep school Lambrook, ready to start senior school in September, with Marlborough College and Eton thought to be among the contenders.

Kate has gradually increased her public engagements over the past year, returning to state banquets including the one hosted for US President Donald Trump at Windsor Castle.

She missed Royal Ascot as she sought the right balance in the wake of her cancer treatment, but attended the VE Day commemorations, Trooping the Colour and the annual Order of the Garter service, made a solo visit to a V&A storage facility in London and travelled to meet the families of the girls killed in the Southport attack.