The Prince and Princess of Wales made an unexpected appearance at the Bermondsey Beer Mile in London today, where they engaged in beer tasting and brewing activities. During the visit, Princess Kate offered a rare insight into her health journey, disclosing that she has significantly cut back on alcohol consumption following her cancer diagnosis.
Health Update and Personal Revelation
While touring the Fabal beerhall, Kate, 44, was invited to sample some beer and cider by owner Hannah Rhodes. The Princess politely declined, explaining, "Since my diagnosis I haven't had much alcohol." She elaborated further, stating, "It's something I have to be a lot more conscious of now." Rhodes responded understandingly with "Fair enough" and offered Kate a soft drink instead.
Kate underwent chemotherapy in 2024 and announced last year that she was in remission from cancer. Her comments today represent one of the few public references she has made regarding her health condition and the lifestyle adjustments she has implemented as a result.
Royal Couple's Brewery Experience
Turning to her husband, Kate patted Prince William's knee and remarked, "But you like your cider, don't you?" William then proceeded to taste a selection of beers and ciders, including products from Rhodes' brand Hiver, which utilizes honey from bee hives as a sugar substitute in the fermentation process.
Kate, who maintains beehives at the royal family's Norfolk residence of Anmer Hall, demonstrated her apicultural knowledge by sampling some honey with a stick. "If you take the honey off the hive in early summer it tastes very different," she observed. Discussing the harvesting process, she added, "If you take the honey off when it's wet it is a natural fermentation process anyway."
William humorously interjected, "She knows a lot about bees. Be careful what you say, you might be corrected."
Hands-On Brewing Activities
Earlier in the day, the royal couple visited the Southwark Brewing Company, one of the area's pioneering small-batch breweries established in 2014. Greeted by founder Peter Jackson, 66, they received a demonstration of the brewing process.
William ascended a ladder wearing black rubber gloves to add hops to the brewing kettle. "It smells like horse feed as you're doing it," he commented. "There's a real mixture of smells." Jackson responded jokingly, "Yes. It's good that it changes by the time it gets to your glass." Kate then climbed the ladder to stir the mixture.
The couple participated in a pint-pulling competition, with Jackson declaring their technique superior to his own. "Do you know what? You can come back on Saturday for a shift," he told them.
Community Engagement and Personal Touch
Jackson used his mobile phone to make a video call to his son, Will Jackson, an accountant celebrating his 34th birthday in Manchester. After assisting Jackson with starting the call, Prince William offered birthday wishes, saying, "William, happy birthday. I hope you've got a good party tonight."
When informed the birthday celebration would take place at a restaurant, the prince inquired, "Is your dad paying? We're just in here trying not to ruin his brewery. We've just been given a pint-pulling contest."
Reflecting on the importance of pubs, William later remarked, "Pubs are so important," describing them as "places for people and the community to come together."
Continuing the Day's Engagements
Following their brewery visits, the royal couple traveled upstream by boat to the RNLI Tower Lifeboat Station on the Thames. At the station, they learned about the work of crews and volunteers who save lives along the river.
The Prince and Princess met with the duty crew, heard about recent rescue operations, and spoke with lifeguards preparing for the upcoming Boat Race. Tower represents the RNLI's busiest lifeboat station, operating continuously throughout the year.
This visit coincides with the RNLI marking the 25th anniversary of their lifeguard service, which patrols Britain's beaches and supports major river events. Prince William previously visited the earlier Tower Station site in 2016 and has met with RNLI crews in Cornwall and Anglesey on separate occasions.
