Princess Kate, 44, revealed a significant lifestyle adjustment during a public outing on March 12, 2026, saying she has largely stopped drinking alcohol since her 2024 cancer diagnosis.
She made the candid remark while visiting Southwark Brewing Company in London with Prince William. She declined offers of beer and cider as they walked the Bermondsey Beer Mile.
“Since my diagnosis, I haven’t had much alcohol. It’s something I have to be a lot more conscious of now,” Princess Kate told Fabal Beerhall owner Hannah Rhodes during the stop, according to royal editor Matt Wilkinson of The Sun.
Kate also asked Rhodes whether the beer hall offered non-alcoholic options. “We don’t yet, I’m afraid. I would love to do that one day, but we would need quite a bit of tech to do it properly,” Rhodes replied.
The remark is a rare public comment from the princess about how cancer has influenced her daily life. Kate disclosed her diagnosis in a video message in March 2024, saying doctors discovered the illness after abdominal surgery two months earlier. She completed chemotherapy in September 2024 and announced in January 2025 that she was in remission.
At the brewery, Princess Kate opted for a soft drink instead of an alcoholic beverage. While stirring one of the brewing kettles she joked, “What am I doing?” She then mentioned to Prince William that he still enjoys cider at home. William told the crowd, “I’m a cider man. I like cider. I grew up on cider in the West Country.”
Medical experts note that reducing alcohol consumption can be an important step for cancer survivors. Dr. Philippe Spiess, a urologic oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, told ABC News that lifestyle changes can help patients feel more in control of their health after a diagnosis and might lower the chance of developing other cancers.
Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization recognize links between alcohol use and several cancers, including breast, colorectal, esophageal, liver, and oral/throat cancers. According to the CDC, more than 20,000 people in the U.S. die each year from alcohol-related cancers.
Princess Kate has not specified the exact type or stage of the cancer she had, but she has been open about the challenges of recovery. During a visit to Colchester Hospital on July 2, 2025, she called the post-treatment period “a roller coaster” and noted that recovery isn’t as simple as many might think.
The brewery visit was one stop on a packed schedule of engagements for William and Kate along the River Thames. They also stopped at Borough Market, where the princess tried barista duties at Change Please, a social enterprise training coffee retail to people experiencing homelessness. The couple wore aprons at Humble Crumble bakery to prepare desserts and later visited the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s Tower Lifeboat Station.
Sydney Horsted, a lead lifeguard supervisor at the RNLI, described the royals as “completely down to earth” during their visit. “They were just a normal couple, really happy,” she told Hello! magazine.
Princess Kate has maintained her association with The Royal Marsden Hospital, where she was treated during her cancer care. On March 13, she sent daffodils and a handwritten message to the hospital’s patients and staff. “As spring arrives, these narcissi from the Isles of Scilly are to say I am thinking of you all. Catherine,” she wrote.
Not every engagement was alcohol-free. On Tuesday, March 17, Princess Kate attended the Irish Guards’ St. Patrick’s Day parade at Mons Barracks in Aldershot as Colonel of the regiment. Following tradition, she drank a half pint of Guinness with soldiers and their families and left money behind the bar for the troops.
The royal couple became Joint Patrons of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust on January 14, 2025, highlighting their support for cancer care and research. William has been the hospital’s president since 2007, a role previously held by his late mother, Princess Diana.
The princess has gradually returned to royal duties following the remission announcement, balancing public appearances with ongoing recovery. She and Prince William are parents to Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven.
