At the Christie Hospital in Manchester an “end of treatment bell” rings in celebration of young mum Claire Lorente who has completed her course of chemotherapy.
Standing beside the 30-year-old and cheering her on is the Princess of Wales, who is no stranger to battling cancer.
In a tearful moment in front of family members and staff, Princess Catherine offers Claire a hug.
June 4 marks the last day of her treatment for breast cancer.
The royal, who kept a reassuring hand on Claire’s arm as they spoke, called it an “amazing” day after a “tough” journey.
“Well done you, what a journey! You have done brilliantly. Well done,” Catherine tells Claire.
Catherine also embraces Claire’s partner Pablo and says: “Well done. It’s just as hard for the family and loved ones.”
She adds, “I know how hard it was for the children and my parents. You go through it with them.”
There wasn’t a dry eye in the room when the noise of the bell rung, marking the end of a chapter for Claire.
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Princess Catherine made the solo visit to Christie’s, which is considered one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, looking after more than 60,000 patients a year.
Among its holistic therapies, all free of charge to patients and carers, are drop-in art classes, a well-being garden and a chaplaincy service.
The princess visited all of these and even joined in an art session with six patients.
Talking about having cancer, she said it “changes you in so many ways”.
“Physically but also emotionally and psychologically, and actually finding ways to express that and to explore that is quite difficult.
“To do this in a clinical setting is really important.”
Roger Spencer, chief executive of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, said it had been an “honour to introduce the princess to the patients and staff involved” in the hospital.
Following the visit, Catherine posted on social media that meeting patients, families and staff had been “a powerful reminder that healing is about so much more than treatment alone”.
“A cancer diagnosis affects every part of life, in mind, body and the deeper part of ourselves,” she said.
“Thank you for sharing your stories with me, and for the compassion, creativity and dedication shown every day across the hospital.”
This was the second cancer-related outing of the week for the princess, who joined King Charles and other members of the royal family at a reception commemorating the 125th anniversary of Cancer Research UK.
In March 2024, the princess went public with her diagnosis of an unspecified form of cancer.
She underwent chemotherapy and announced she was in remission in January 2025.
