During a visit to a London beer hall, Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, shared her newfound attitude towards alcohol. “I hardly drink alcohol since my diagnosis,” she said, declining a beer offered at Fabal Beer Hall. “I have to be much more careful with it now.”
A year after the announcement of remission, these words sound quite understandable. Back in 1987, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen, stressing that there is no “safe level” of consumption for humans. This classification is based on sufficient evidence linking alcohol to cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus (squamous cell carcinoma), and liver.
While these risks vary depending on whether a person drinks lightly, moderately, or heavily, the link between alcohol and cancer has been documented for years. Kate Middleton seems to have taken this quite seriously and reconsidered her attitude towards alcohol after her diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.
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Two years ago, in March 2024, the princess released a video message confirming her diagnosis. “It has been an incredibly difficult few months for our whole family, but I have had a fantastic medical team who have looked after me so well and I am incredibly grateful to them,” she began her message.
“In January [2024] I had major abdominal surgery in London and at the time it was thought that my problem was not cancer related. The surgery was successful. However, after further tests it became clear that cancer was present. My medical team recommended a course of preventive chemotherapy and I am currently in the early stages of this treatment.”
The princess noted that the diagnosis was a “huge shock” for the family, and recovery from the major surgery took considerable time.
In January 2025, the Princess of Wales announced she was in remission, sharing the news in an emotional Instagram post. “It's a relief to now be in remission and I continue to focus on recovery,” she wrote. “Those who have survived a cancer diagnosis know that it takes time to adjust to a new condition. However, I am looking forward to a busy year ahead. There are so many exciting things ahead. Thank you all for your continued support.”
It is clear that the Princess of Wales' long-term health plan includes changing her attitude towards the frequency and amount of alcohol she drinks. We wish her continued recovery and good health.
Based on material from: Vogue.com