'It's personal': Kate climbs three peaks in 24 hours for cancer research
'Please know you are not alone,' says the princess after completing the gruelling feat
At 7 p.m. U.K. time, Kensington Palace sent out a press release revealing that the Princess of Wales had completed the Three Peaks Challenge — climbing the highest peaks in England, Scotland, and Wales in less than 24 hours — to raise money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity (the special donation link is here).
Kate is the charity’s co-chair and she underwent her chemotherapy treatments at that famous cancer hospital in London.
In January 2025, she announced she was in remission. Since then, she has talked about the hard impact that cancer had on her, both physically and mentally, even today.
Starting on Saturday evening, she began on the recommended schedule by tackling Ben Nevis in Scotland, then Scarfell Pike in England, and then finished by climbing Snowdon in Wales. Her family was waiting for her when she descended from that mountain, less than 24 hours after she started.
In total, she walked 37 kilometres, including an ascent of 3,064 metres, plus a driving distance of around 750 km between the peaks.
She completed her solo effort on Sunday, and was supported in her efforts by mountain rescue volunteers. (According to the Three Peaks Challenge website, while 90 percent of participants finish all three peaks, only around 40 percent complete that effort within a 24-hour window. “The different almost always comes down to realistic planning, not raw fitness,” it explains.)
In a personal message released on social media and through that press release, the Princess of Wales explained why she undertook such an arduous climb. She wants to “raise awareness for the deeper impact of serious illness and the importance of holistic healthcare. Every individual is different, and ensuring there is a whole person approach to care enables those living through cancer to manage the deeply personal challenge of diagnosis. Holistic therapies complement clinical pathways and support patients’ ability to maintain their well being, resilience and quality of life during an exceptionally difficult time.”
In particular, she wants to raise funds so more people can access such personalized support. That message was emphasized through a video announcement released a few hours later.
As well, there is the fact that she felt able to undertake such a physical endeavour. The broad smile on her face at the top of Ben Nevis says it all: She will not be defined by cancer.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of people in this country hear the words no one wants to hear. What follows is a path that tests every part of who we are: physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. The challenges ripple outwards, touching families, friendships, work and the quiet moments we spend alone with our thoughts.
Cancer doesn’t just affect the body. It changes how you think and feel and profoundly affects every aspect of life. I know this personally, and that the journey through and beyond treatment requires more than medicine alone.
I have taken on the National Three Peaks Challenge, not simply as a physical endeavour but as a chance to explore life beyond diagnosis and to give something back. The Royal Marsden is a place that holds great meaning for me and whose care and expertise are life changing for so many people.
Through this challenge, I want to raise awareness for the deeper impact of serious illness and the importance of holistic healthcare. Every individual is different, and ensuring there is a whole person approach to care enables those living through cancer to manage the deeply personal challenge of diagnosis. Holistic therapies complement clinical pathways and support patients’ ability to maintain their wellbeing, resilience and quality of life during an exceptionally difficult time.
We have an opportunity to reshape what the future of holistic cancer care looks like, enabling more people, nationwide, to access the kind of personalised support that can help make a meaningful difference during and after medical treatment.
This challenge will support the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, helping to transform access to, and understanding of, holistic care that will enhance recovery and healing for patients across the UK.
Healing, whether personal or collective, is not just about fixing what is wrong. It is about finding balance in how we live. Between effort and acceptance, between control and trust, between thinking and simply being. Because in the end, bravery isn’t just about pushing forward. It is about knowing how to stay grounded, connected and present, no matter the terrain, or landscape you are walking through.
Together, we can stand alongside everyone navigating life with cancer, ensuring no one faces this disease feeling unseen or unsupported.
Please know you are not alone.
C
Wonderful feat for Catherine and all people dealing with serious illnesses.