Angela Terry tells PEOPLE that the Princess of Wales' stop at the hospital served as "a great message of hope"

Princess Catherine surprised cancer patients at the same hospital where she was treated last year for her type of cancer.

We don’t need to know what cancer she had,” said one woman who spoke to Kate on Tuesday. “We just know she’s been through surgery, she’s been through chemo—and one year later, my goodness, look, she is here.

Kate Middleton recounted the "shock" of being diagnosed with cancer and how it affects "the whole family" at her hospital stop, Angela Terry tells PEOPLE

Kate, the Princess of Wales, announced Tuesday that her cancer is in remission, less than one year after announcing her diagnosis. The 43-year-old princess shared the update in a statement on X, writing, "It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery."

The Princess of Wales shared a few details on her cancer treatment with patients at the hospital where she was treated.

"It was just like talking to a friend about a really horrible time in life and how you find ways of getting through it," Katherine Field tells PEOPLE of the Princess of Wales

Kate Middleton visited the Royal Marsden Hospital and chatted with a patient who was undergoing chemotherapy as treatment. The two spoke about their shared experience - battling cancer.

Terry continued, describing Kate as "so open." "She had this 'We’re in this together' approach, so I think people felt they were able to say all sorts of things. It was really h

Kate Middleton spent much of last year battling an unspecified form of cancer. The Princess confirmed earlier this week that her cancer is in “remission.” Now, Kate is making a surprising admission about her grueling chemotherapy treatments.