The Princess of Wales has completed the gruelling Three Peaks Challenge in a bid to spread her deeply personal message about life during and after cancer.
Catherine, 44, started the endurance event on Saturday night and finished it 24 hours later cheered on by her family including her husband and three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and little Prince Louis, as well as her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, and brother James.
A new picture shows her beaming with delight at the summit of Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Scotland, dressed in walking gear with her famous sapphire and diamond engagement ring on display.
She did the challenge solo and was supported on the route by Mountain Rescue, with her family meeting her at the last stop at the base of Snowdon in Wales.
The Three Peaks Challenge sees participants attempt to climb the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours: Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Scotland and the UK, standing at 1,345 meters; Scarfell Pike, the highest peak in England, standing at 978 meters and Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), the highest peak in Wales, standing at 1,085 meters.
It has a total walking distance of 23 miles (37 kilometres), an ascent of 3,064 meters (10,052 feet) of vertical climbing and a driving distance between the peaks of approximately 462 miles.
The Princess was driven between the peaks – Scotland, then England and finally Wales – by her team. It is not believed that any other member of the Royal Family has completed the Three Peaks Challenge, also making the Princess’ triumph a royal first.
In a personally penned message, the Princess said: ‘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.
The Princess of Wales has completed the gruelling Three Peaks Challenge in a bid to spread her deeply personal message about life during and after cancer
The princess started the endurance event on Saturday night climbing up to the summit of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain (pictured with River Nevis in foreground)
While she did the challenge solo, her family met her at the last stop at the base of Snowdon in Wales (Prince William, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales, Prince George of Wales and Prince Louis of Wales during Trooping The Colour on June 13, 2026)
‘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’
The Princess also wants to use her challenge to raise funds for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, which is launching a specially designed fundraising page for people across the nation to donate.
The funds raised for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity will support more people with cancer to benefit from holistic care.
It will also support research into how these can best work alongside clinical cancer treatments to help patients every step of the way.
The goal is to create a blueprint for change, so this supportive care becomes a standard part of cancer treatment nationally.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, visits The Royal Marsden Hospital on January 14, 2025 in London
Catherine, Princess of Wales hugs Rebecca Mendelhson during a visit to The Royal Marsden Hospital – where she also received treatment – on January 14, 2025 in London
The Princess of Wales talks with Katherine Field during a visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, where she received her cancer treatment, to personally thank staff for her care
Sources said this was not simply a physical challenge for the Princess, but an opportunity to explore life beyond diagnosis, drawing on her own experience of cancer, while raising awareness of the wider impact serious illness can have on every aspect of a person’s life.
Through the challenge, she wants to highlight the importance of supporting the whole person alongside clinical treatment, and to help more people understand the role holistic care can play during and after treatment.
The challenge is also supporting The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and its work to improve access to holistic care and research into how these services can complement medical treatment and recovery.
As the Princess says in her message, she wants to ensure that people facing cancer feel seen, supported and know that they are not alone.
Catherine has spoken previously about the experience of life during and after cancer treatment and the importance of supporting wellbeing alongside clinical care.
Earlier this month, during her visit to The Christie in Manchester, she reflected on the reality that recovery can be a long and complex process that continues beyond the end of treatment.
Today’s message also builds on themes she has explored over a number of years through her work on wellbeing and through projects such as her Mother Nature series, in which she has spoken about the role the natural world can play in helping people find balance, perspective and resilience during challenging times.
The Princess of Wales has previously raised funds for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity in December – in December she visited the Ever After Garden at The Royal Marsden Hospital
The garden consists of 30,000 illuminated roses which members of the public can dedicate a rose to a family member in support of the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
The Three Peaks Challenge brings together many of those themes: recovery, resilience, wellbeing and the importance of supporting the whole person.
Her experience has given her a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by people diagnosed with cancer, which is why she is keen to raise awareness of the importance of supporting the whole person alongside medical treatment.
Holistic care is about supporting the whole person – integrating physical, emotional, spiritual and social wellbeing alongside clinical care.
This can include physical activity, nutrition, creativity, and a connection to the community, which are essential in supporting people through their treatment and recovery.
It means people going through cancer treatment can feel more connected to their bodies and the world around them, and find peace, meaning and purpose through an incredibly difficult time.
Holistic care can also give patients tools to manage fatigue, anxiety and the long-term effects of treatment, helping them to manage the ripple effect on their lives that a cancer diagnosis can cause.
The Princess’s point is that cancer affects far more than the body alone.
Alongside world-class clinical treatment, many patients benefit from support that helps them manage the emotional, psychological and practical impacts of diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
The Princess of Wales during a visit to The Christie, NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester where she met with staff and patients currently undergoing chemotherapy
The Princess of Wales speaks to patients at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust
As she says in her message, ensuring there is a whole-person approach to care can help people maintain their wellbeing, resilience and quality of life during an exceptionally difficult time.
Her challenge aims both to raise funds and to raise awareness.
The funds raised through The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity will help support access to holistic care and research into how it can work alongside clinical cancer treatment, while the challenge also seeks to encourage a wider conversation about the experience of living with and beyond cancer.
The Princess’s message is that no one facing cancer should feel unseen or unsupported.
She hopes the challenge will encourage greater understanding of the realities of living with cancer, highlight the importance of supporting the whole person throughout their journey, and reassure those affected by the disease that they are not alone.
The Princess became Joint Patron of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in January 2025 alongside the Prince of Wales, who has been President of The Royal Marsden since 2007.
As a specialist cancer centre, The Royal Marsden recognises the need for whole-person cancer treatment and care across the UK, and beyond.
Holistic care is already integrated into treatment to benefit patients in a meaningful way.
The Princess of Wales during a visit to the RHS’s Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital in Essex last July
The visit coincides with the donation of 50 Catherine’s Rose plants, named after the princess by the RHS with funds from sales going to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
Donations to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity will support the development of a new centre for holistic wellbeing and recovery at The Royal Marsden, that will reshape the future of what cancer care looks like and support more people living through and beyond a cancer diagnosis.
This will show how holistic care can work in practice, which will help enable the creation of a specialist programme for transforming access to holistic care, alongside clinical treatment, for patients across the UK, to enhance physical, psychological and emotional recovery.
Dame Cally Palmer, Chief Executive of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘At The Royal Marsden, we are committed to ensuring every patient has the personalised support they need as they navigate their diagnosis, treatment and life beyond cancer. A patient’s cancer journey doesn’t stop when active treatment stops; it’s important to treat the whole person, not just the illness. Holistic care that complements clinical care plays a vital role in enabling patients to sustain their wellbeing, resilience, and quality of life.
‘We are honoured to have Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales as Joint Patrons of The Royal Marsden. 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.’
To find out more and make a donation, visit: www.royalmarsden.org/princessofwales