“I was told in hospital that my recovery would not be linear. There will be good days and bad days, that it will take time,” said the Princess of Wales. As such, her love of nature played a vital role during her treatment. “It shows us that periods of rest, reflection, and renewal are equally as important as moments of growth,” said Kate. This perspective offers a different view of recovery: not as a phase to be overcome as quickly as possible, but as a time when pausing, listening to oneself, and replenishing one’s energy becomes an integral part of the healing process.
Nature’s Role in Princess Kate’s Recovery
In the interview, she also spoke about the therapeutic value of the natural environment, to which she has always shown a particular affinity. “Whether it is the beach for healing and recovery, the countryside for peace and perspective, or the mountains to find solitude, people have long sought comfort in the natural world. It is such a restorative environment, and incorporating nature into someone’s recovery pathway is vital,” she said.
After experiencing illness firsthand, the princess was particularly interested in a holistic approach to treatment and healing. “What I feel really passionate about, having had firsthand experience, is approaching illness and recovery through a whole-person approach. Yes, serious illness creates a lot of physical challenges, but there is also a deeper part to all of us. Nature has allowed me to find a deeper connection to my mind, body, and spirit,” she said.
Kate then explained what she found in the natural environment and why she considers it so precious: “It doesn’t ask anything of us. It doesn’t judge us or expect us to perform. It simply allows us to be.” She continued, “It really has been my sanctuary and a place I’ve instinctively wanted to go.”
The Princess of Wales playing with a little girl
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Princess Kate’s Outdoorsy Childhood and the Sense of Freedom She Found in Nature
The Princess of Wales reflected on her childhood, recounting how she spent a great deal of time outdoors from a very young age. “I remember from a very early age spending a lot of time in nature, playing in streams, walking in the countryside, blackberry picking, or simply time alone in my own world, enjoying the simplicity of ordinary things.”
Among the memories she shared is one that’s particularly evocative: when she used to dig under bushes, convinced she’d find treasure. A simple game, born of a little girl’s imagination, that transformed a corner of the garden into a place full of possibilities. “There was always a sense of freedom I felt in nature, something about being outdoors that is hard to find elsewhere,” she explained. “When we are little, we seem to notice things more. Like the changing light through the trees, the sound of water, the joy of crunching leaves or finding a feather. These moments can seem ordinary, but, often, they’re the things we remember most. Sadly, this is something I think we lose touch with as adults.”
According to the princess, as we grow up, we risk losing this ability to observe and appreciate the little details. Life becomes more hectic, commitments multiply, and we end up forgetting how important it is to stop, slow down, and pay attention to the little things.
The smiling princess at Chase Community Hospital in Bordon
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“Despite the Challenges Life May Throw at Us, We Are Not Alone”
At one point, Macfarlane asked the Princess of Wales a particularly profound question: Where does she find hope? The writer observed that, in his view, despair is almost a luxury we cannot afford. Kate responded by returning to the theme running through the conversation: the lessons of the natural world. “I find hope in the lessons nature teaches us: that, despite the challenges life may throw at us, we are not alone, and that we are interconnected with something bigger than ourselves,” she said. “We might not be able to have certainty or control every outcome, but we can do the small things, and those small things add up and do make a difference, if we nurture what is around us and have faith.”
Kate went public with her cancer diagnosis in March 2024, after undergoing abdominal surgery in January of that same year. The news shocked the entire world. In September 2024, she announced that she had completed her course of chemotherapy. At that time, however, she had already made it clear that the end of treatment would not automatically mean a full recovery: “Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes. I am, however, looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months when I can.”
Kate at Chase Community Hospital in Bordon
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How Kate Raises George, Charlotte, and Louis: “I Want to Give Them the Freedom to Explore”
Kate also spoke in the interview about her approach to motherhood, emphasizing her desire to give her children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—the freedom to explore the world at their own pace and according to their own curiosity. “It is something I remind myself to do with my own children; to give them freedom to explore, rather than constantly telling them what to see or what to think,” she said.
The princess then expressed a specific concern: the rising anxiety among those in younger generations, who spend an increasingly significant portion of their lives online and surrounded by technology. “What worries me is the growing anxiety among children and young people. It’s a generation that’s more online and connected to tech than ever before,“ she stated. “In this increasingly digital world, I believe it is more important than ever that children grow up with a strong sense of belonging, connection, and emotional security. Nature is a natural environment where those skills can be built.”
Interaction with the environment, she explained, offers children opportunities to practice important skills through hands-on experiences. “Nature also encourages curiosity, imagination, and creativity,” she said. “Whether it’s collecting leaves, building something from sticks, climbing a tree, or simply observing the world around them, children are constantly learning and discovering, about themselves, other people, and the world around them. It is essential for our well-being.”
A close-up of the Princess of Wales
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Why Nature Helps Build Relationships
Macfarlane then linked these observations to the princess’s work on early childhood. He noted that Kate has repeatedly emphasized the importance of the first five years of life and asked her how nature could contribute to laying the foundations for development. The princess emphasized how central relationships are during early childhood: “So much of early childhood is about building nurturing environments that allow strong relationships to grow.”
The princess explained that a child gradually develops various relationships: with themselves, with their parents or caregivers, with other children, and with the world around them. “The natural world gives children an extraordinary environment in which to develop those relationships,” she said. In this regard, she recalled her visit to Reggio Emilia, Italy—an experience she described as particularly meaningful because it allowed her to rediscover many of the principles that guide the work of her Centre for Early Childhood.
Among these is the importance of relationships, the environment, experiences, and, above all, the ability to truly listen to children. “Nature wasn’t another lesson; it offered an integral space that encouraged questions, that stimulated imagination, curiosity, and collaboration,” she explained.
On the very same day the interview was published, Kate visited Chase Community Hospital in Bordon, Hampshire, to learn firsthand about the expansion of a project supported by the Royal Foundation’s Centre for Early Childhood. The initiative aims to help identify more infants who, along with their families, may need additional support during the first months and years of life. During the visit, the princess met with health care workers, professionals, and families involved in using the Alarm Distress Baby Scale, known by the acronym ADBB. This observation tool, which she learned about during her visit to Copenhagen, enables health care providers to identify early signs of social and relational withdrawal in children.
The princess with some health care workers
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Originally published in Vanity Fair Italia.
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