Princess Kate disclosed a major change to her lifestyle during a public appearance on March 12, 2026, saying she has mostly stopped drinking alcohol since her 2024 cancer diagnosis.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, 44, made the frank comment while visiting Southwark Brewing Company in London on March 12 alongside Prince William. She turned down offers of beer and cider as the pair toured 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 if the beer hall offered non-alcoholic choices. “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 answered.
The comment is an unusual public remark from the princess about how cancer has affected her everyday life. Catherine revealed her diagnosis in a video message in March 2024, saying doctors found the disease after abdominal surgery two months earlier. She finished chemotherapy in September 2024 and announced in January 2025 that she was in remission.
At the brewery, Princess Kate chose a soft drink over an alcoholic option. While stirring one of the brewhouse kettles, she quipped, “What am I doing?” She then turned to Prince William, noting he is still fond of cider at home. William told onlookers, “I’m a cider man. I like cider. I grew up on cider in the West Country.”
Medical specialists say cutting back on alcohol can be an important health move for cancer survivors. Dr. Philippe Spiess, a urologic oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, told ABC News that lifestyle adjustments can help patients regain control of their health after a diagnosis and may lower the risk of developing other cancers.
Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization acknowledge 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 revealed the exact type or stage of the cancer she faced, but she has spoken candidly about recovery struggles. During a visit to Colchester Hospital on July 2, 2025, she described the post-treatment period as “a roller coaster” and said recovery isn’t as straightforward as people might assume.
The brewery trip was one stop in a busy schedule of engagements for William and Catherine along the River Thames. They also visited Borough Market, where the Princess practiced barista skills at Change Please, a social enterprise that trains baristas for people experiencing homelessness. The couple donned aprons at Humble Crumble bakery to make desserts and later toured the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s Tower Lifeboat Station.
Sydney Horsted, a lead lifeguard supervisor at the RNLI, said the royals were “completely down to earth” during their visit. “They were just a normal couple, really happy,” she told Hello! magazine.
Princess Kate has continued her link with The Royal Marsden Hospital, where she received care during her cancer treatment. On March 13, she sent daffodils and a handwritten note 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 outing 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. In keeping with tradition, she drank a half-pint of Guinness with soldiers and their families and placed money behind the bar for the troops.
Catherine and William became Joint Patrons of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust on January 14, 2025, underscoring their support for cancer care and research. William has served as the hospital’s president since 2007, a post previously held by his late mother, Princess Diana.
The Princess has slowly resumed royal duties after announcing remission, balancing public engagements with ongoing recovery. She and Prince William are parents to Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7.
