The Princess of Wales has spoken about her recovery from cancer in a rare interview for a special issue of Country Life magazine, describing nature as her "sanctuary".
The magazine was guest-edited by her husband, Prince William, the Prince of Wales, and published on Wednesday (November 11). Kate spoke to acclaimed author Robert Macfarlane, known for his writings on landscapes and the living world.
Nature's Role in Recovery
The princess described how nature "doesn't judge us or expect us to perform", and echoing remarks she made previously about her cancer journey, she said: "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. This is the same in nature. It shows us that periods of rest, reflection and renewal are equally as important as moments of growth," she said.
She described nature as offering something unique. The future queen said: "It doesn't ask anything of us. It doesn't judge us or expect us to perform. It simply allows us to be. It really has been my sanctuary and a place I've instinctively wanted to go."
Finding Hope and Giving Back
Asked by Macfarlane where she finds hope, Kate replied that she did so in the lessons taught by nature "that, despite the challenges life may throw at us, we are not alone and that we're interconnected with something bigger than ourselves".
The writer told the princess he found hope in watching communities help to protect rivers, as part of their discussion for the special bumper issue. Kate replied: "I couldn't agree more. It is the sense of hope we find in the darkest of times. We need to find the things that we can do alongside others, ways to connect and give back."
She also praised Mind Over Mountains, a charity offering professional mental fitness support by bringing together walking in nature, mindfulness and time with experienced wellbeing counsellors.
A Lifelong Connection to the Outdoors
The princess has long championed the importance, especially for children, of spending time outdoors as part of her work on early childhood development. She talked about how her love of nature started in childhood when she would spend time playing in streams, blackberry picking or "simply time alone in my own world, enjoying the simplicity of ordinary things" and how she felt a sense of freedom "that is hard to find elsewhere".
Kate also described how she parents her own children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. "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.
William is following in the footsteps of his father King Charles, stepmother Queen Camilla and aunt Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, by guest-editing the weekly magazine.
