‘Nature has helped me heal’, says Princess Kate on 44th birthday
By Georgia Bates, Press Association
The Princess of Wales said she has spent winter reflecting on how “deeply grateful” she is as she celebrates her 44th birthday.
In the final instalment of Kensington Palace’s quarterly Mother Nature series, Kate said the cold season has a way of bringing “stillness, patience and quiet consideration”.
The princess launched the series in spring as a celebration of the changing seasons across the UK.
In a video posted on social media on her 44th birthday, Kate said: “Even in the coldest, darkest season, winter has a way of bringing us stillness, patience and quiet consideration.
“Where the stream slows just enough for us to see our own reflection.
“To discover the deepest parts of ourselves. Alongside the whispers in the pulse of every living thing.
“I find myself reflecting on how deeply grateful I am.
The Mother Nature series has been a deeply personal, creative reflection on how nature has helped me heal. But it is also a story about the power of nature and creativity in collective healing.
There is so much we can learn from mother nature, as we look to build a happier,… pic.twitter.com/yZ3u6yLEe4— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) January 9, 2026
“For the rivers within us flow with ease, fears washed away, cleanse and purify. Come to peace with our tears and discover what it means to be alive.
“To be at one with nature; a quiet teacher and a soft voice that guides.
“In memory. Helping us to heal.”
I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year.
My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything.
We couldn’t have asked for more.… pic.twitter.com/f3sA7yZdOi— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) January 14, 2025
The princess’s birthday on Friday falls just days before the first anniversary of her announcement at the start of 2025 that she was in remission from cancer.
Friday’s video shows Kate wearing a long green coat with a hat and scarf while on an early morning walk in Berkshire.
The video was accompanied by a personal post signed with a C, which read: “The Mother Nature series has been a deeply personal, creative reflection on how nature has helped me heal. But it is also a story about the power of nature and creativity in collective healing.
“There is so much we can learn from mother nature, as we look to build a happier, healthier world. C”
Other locations featured in the footage include Cumbria, Gloucestershire, London, East Sussex and The Cotswolds.
The post was made a day after Kate made a surprise appearance at Charing Cross Hospital to show support for under pressure NHS staff.
The Prince and Princess of Wales surprised volunteers and NHS staff on a tea break on Thursday as they carried out their first engagement of 2026.
