Kate Middleton's surprise under-the-radar visit after brave cancer admission

Just hours after Princess Kate delighted staff and patients with a visit to the new Wellbeing Garden at the Colchester Hospital to discuss her cancer journey, it has emerged she made a second secret stop at another important institution. Photos were shared of the Princess of Wales by Support the Paras - the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces charity – as she joined them at their 2 PARA Cultural Day.

On Wednesday, Kate opened up about her battle with cancer with patients and volunteers at the Colchester Hospital, taking for the first time about the extent of her gruelling cancer treatment. After her visit, Kate went to another event that was not included in the daily Court Circular.

In the snaps shared by Support the Paras, Kate, sporting the same tweed blazer, striped shirt and brown trousers from her hospital visit, was seen speaking with different paratroopers and was even captured stroking a tiny puppy during her royal outing.

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According to Hello! magazine, Princess Kate passed the Parachute Regiment, who were participating in a team day, on her way home and stopped in for the brief visit before continuing home.

In the caption of the post, the charity said: "The 2 PARA Cultural Day is an opportunity for paratroopers to come together and celebrate the many cultural groups that make up the battalion. With food and drink from around the world being served, this event is educational and essential to the battalion's morale.

"The day was once again made possible due to funding from @supportourparas, and our Events & Efficiency Manager, Mark, was delighted to be able to talk about our work with those in attendance, which included HRH The Princess of Wales @princeandprincessofwales."

While King Charles is Colonel in Chief of the Parachute Regiment, the Princess also holds several military roles, as she was made Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm, Colonel in Chief of the 1st Queen's Dragoon Guards and Royal Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Coningsby in 2023. Princess Kate is also Colonel of the Irish Guards and Royal Honorary Air Commodore of the Air Cadets.

Before her trip to the regiment, the Princess of Wales spoke with patients and staff at the Colchester Hospital, speaking about her gradual return to royal duties after her cancer battle, just weeks after her appearance at Royal Ascotwas cancelled at the last minute.

Speaking inside the centre, which provides therapy, community groups and holistic treatments including reflexology, she said: "There is a whole phase when you finish your treatment, everybody expects you to be better - go! But that's not the case at all."

She said: “You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment. Treatment's done, then it’s like ’I can crack on, get back to normal’ but actually the phase afterwards is really difficult. You’re not necessarily under the clinical team any longer but you’re not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to.

"And actually someone to help talk you through that, show you and guide you through that sort of phase that comes after treatment I think is really valuable." She added: "You have to find your new normal and that takes time."