Kate Middleton Calls Phase After Cancer Treatment: ‘Really Difficult’

Kate Middleton, 43, is opening up about life after cancer treatment.

Hello! reports the royal traveled to Colchester Hospital in Essex where she paid a visit to their Wellbeing Garden and helped plant roses.

Kate, who confirmed in January that she’s in remission, spoke with patients and staff about her journey.

The Princess of Wales shared,"You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment, treatments done, then it’s like 'I can crack on, get back to normal' but actually the phase afterwards is really, is really you know difficult.”

She explained, "You're not necessarily under the clinical team any longer but you're not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to. And actually someone to help talk you through that, show you and guide you through that sort of phase that comes after treatment I think is really valuable."

She said of cancer, "But it's life changing for anyone, through first diagnosis or post treatment and things like that, it is life changing experience, both for the patient but also for the families as well. And actually it sometimes goes unrecognized, you don't necessarily, particularly when it's the first time, appreciate how much impact it is going to have.”

Kate said, "You have to find your new normal and that takes time… and 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, through creativity and singing or gardening whatever it might be is so valuable and it’s great this community has it, it would be great if lots of communities had this kind of support."

The appearance marked her first public event since she dropped out of the Royal Ascot last minute on June 18.