Princess of Wales completes Three Peaks cancer charity challenge

Catherine, the Princess of Wales, has climbed the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours, completing a major endurance challenge to raise money for the cancer hospital charity linked to her own treatment.

The princess undertook the U.K.’s National Three Peaks Challenge in support of the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, saying the climb was a “chance to explore life beyond diagnosis and to give something back.” The challenge involves summiting Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon, also known as Yr Wyddfa, in Wales over the course of a day.

Kensington Palace said in a social media post Sunday that Catherine, widely known as Kate, took on the climb not only for the physical test but to draw attention to the needs of people living through and beyond cancer. The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity launched a fundraising page for the walk, saying the money would “support more people with cancer to benefit from holistic care.”

“Cancer doesn’t just affect the body,” Catherine wrote alongside a picture of herself at the summit of Ben Nevis. “It changes how you think and feel and profoundly affects every aspect of life.”

She added: “I know this personally, and that the journey through and beyond treatment requires more than medicine alone.”

The princess revealed in 2024 that she was undergoing treatment for an unspecified form of cancer. At the time, she described the diagnosis as a “huge shock” and said she had been through an “incredibly tough couple of months.” Kensington Palace said then that it was confident she would make a full recovery. She announced at the start of 2025 that she was in remission and expressed her “relief.”

The National Three Peaks Challenge covers about 23 miles of hiking and 10,052 feet of ascent, with roughly 462 miles of driving between the peaks. Catherine carried out the challenge alone, CBS News reported, with support along the route from Britain’s Mountain Rescue charity.

At the finish in Wales, she was met by Prince William, the Prince of Wales, and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, and her brother James were also there.

Catherine said she wanted the challenge to raise awareness of “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,” she wrote. “Holistic therapies complement clinical pathways and support patients’ ability to maintain their wellbeing, resilience and quality of life during an exceptionally difficult time.”

The Royal Marsden Hospital describes holistic care as “supporting the whole person — integrating physical, emotional, spiritual and social wellbeing alongside clinical care.” According to the charity, that approach works alongside treatments such as chemotherapy.

“Healing, whether personal or collective, is not just about fixing what is wrong,” Catherine said. “It is about finding balance in how we live, between effort and acceptance.”

Dame Cally Palmer, chief executive of the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said the hospital was “honoured” to have the Prince and Princess of Wales as joint patrons.

“The princess’s commitment to The Royal Marsden stems from a deep empathy for those facing similar challenges, and we are immensely grateful for this generous support that will make a difference to the lives of so many cancer patients and their families,” Palmer said.

Catherine paused public engagements after her diagnosis to focus on treatment but has since returned to royal duties. CBS News reported that in May 2026 she carried out her first overseas trip since the diagnosis was revealed, visiting northern Italy.