One of the things driving me crazy about the PR and statements from the Princess of Wales is that she clearly didn’t think any of this was anyone’s business originally. She went missing for months in 2024, took the fall for a manipulated frankenphoto and refused to give any kind of honest medical updates for several months. It was only after the “missing princess” story turned into an international sh-tstorm that anyone thought “hey, maybe we actually do need to provide proof of life on Kate.” I was thinking of this again as I read this new excerpt from People Magazine’s “Kate in Remission” cover story. Now they’re saying that Kate’s journey was “lonely” because… she had to sneak around for months while people wondered where she was?

Kate Middleton shared that she faced her cancer treatment “quietly and privately” during a visit to the London hospital where she received care, offering insight into the isolating experience.

“Going through the back door unseen while going through the treatment must have been pretty lonely,” a close royal insider tells PEOPLE in this week’s exclusive cover story. “When you see these other people when they’re having their chemotherapy, they were doing it as a group, with a support mechanism.”

The Princess of Wales, 43, contrasted her own experience while visiting The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, which coincided with the confirmation that she previously received treatment there during her cancer journey.

Admitting the difference, Kate said, “I had to do it privately and quietly, but being on a ward like this has to be reassuring in a way.” She shared the sentiment while speaking with Katherine Field, who was in the midst of her fourth chemotherapy session for breast cancer during the princess’s visit. For Field, the camaraderie among patients sharing chemotherapy sessions has been a source of comfort. “There is a real sense of community,” she tells PEOPLE, drawing a contrast to Princess Kate’s private ordeal, but said speaking with Kate was “just like talking to a friend.”

For much of 2024, the Princess of Wales slipped through a secluded door at the Royal Marsden Hospital and attended regular chemotherapy sessions away from the public eye. It was a lonely path during the most challenging year of her life. One year after her abdominal surgery, Kate walked confidently through the Royal Marsden’s front entrance for the first time. She returned not only as a woman in remission, but also as an advocate for those still in the midst of their fight.

Initially scheduled to be there for an hour, the princess extended her visit by 20 minutes as she met with patients and staff, offering hugs and sincere advice.

[From People]

One, I guess everyone is in agreement that Kate’s husband, mother and/or sister never came to her chemo sessions to keep her company and provide moral support? Weird. Secondly, I understand someone’s desire for privacy or discretion when dealing with any medical issue, but it still feels notable that we can compare Kate’s situation side-by-side with what King Charles has done. While he’s never emphasized it, it’s no secret that his schedule changed significantly because he always had to be in London mid-week for his treatments. He might have entered the hospital through a side door or private entrance, but he regularly goes back and forth from the hospital in his Bentley, so photographers can see him out and about. I guess my point is that Kate made her cancer journey “lonely” by her own choice. She made these choices to hide away, and now she’s using those choices for sympathy?

Photos courtesy of Kensington Palace, cover courtesy of People.