Tom Parfitt, Alison Coldridge
UpdatedMon, July 6, 2026 at 10:28 AM UTC
5 min read
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The Princess of Wales has shared pictures of her being greeted and hugged by her family after completing a grueling mountain challenge to raise money for a cancer charity
Kate completed the endurance feat known as the Three Peaks Challenge last weekend, climbing the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales — Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Yr Wyddfa (formerly known as Mount Snowdon), respectively — within 24 hours
The royal was greeted at the finish by Prince William and their children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — as well as her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, and her brother, James Middleton
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She can be seen embracing her husband in one image, with her arms around Charlotte in another
A caption reads: “This time last week, completing the National Three Peaks Challenge. A huge thank you to everybody who has supported The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. To find out more or donate, please visit http://royalmarsden.org/princessofwales.”
The princess’s brother, James Middleton, said in an Instagram post he was “so incredibly proud of my darling sister,” adding: “Seeing how far you’ve come is nothing short of inspiring. Your strength, resilience, and determination, all while being the most amazing mother, wife, daughter, and sister, inspire me and so many others every single day.”
Kate’s epic hike
Kensington Palace said it believed the expedition was a royal first, with the princess being the first member of the royal family to complete the challenge
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Kate completed roughly 23 miles of hiking and more than 10,000 feet of elevation gain while traveling about 462 miles between the three mountains
In a video message posted afterward, Kate reflected on her own experience with cancer, saying: “I’m so grateful to be here, to be strong enough to walk these hills. But, more importantly, it’s to give something back and acknowledge, really, all the incredible work going on up and down this country.”
Kate was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in 2024 and underwent chemotherapy at The Royal Marsden Hospital, a London cancer hospital.
She announced in January 2025 that she was in remission and has gradually returned to public duties, including resuming overseas travel with a working visit to Italy in May
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She was photographed smiling at the summit of Ben Nevis, wearing hiking gear and carrying trekking poles. She wore her sapphire-and-diamond engagement ring that once belonged to William’s mother, Princess Diana
The royal family also celebrated the accomplishment on social media, posting: “Congratulations to The Princess of Wales.”
Money raised from the challenge will go to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
The princess later shared a personal written message revealing she had successfully completed the trek, saying she wanted the challenge to represent more than a physical achievement
Reflecting on her own experience, Kate said cancer affects far more than a person’s physical health
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“Every year, hundreds of thousands of people in this country hear the words no one wants to hear,” she wrote. “What follows is a path that tests every part of who we are: physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. The challenges ripple outwards, touching families, friendships, work and the quiet moments we spend alone with our thoughts. Cancer doesn’t just affect the body. It changes how you think and feel and profoundly affects every aspect of life. I know this personally.”
Kate uses unusual signature in a heartfelt donation
Following the climb, Kate also made a donation to a boy she met during the challenge — and signed it using a rarely seen name
While climbing Scotland’s Ben Nevis, Kate met Ted, an 11-year-old wheelchair user who was completing the same challenge with the help of friends and family
The day after the trek, on Jun 29, Kate donated to Ted’s JustGiving page and left the following message: “One of the real highlights of the Three Peaks Challenge was meeting inspiring people like you along the way. Huge congratulations to the entire team for raising money for such a wonderful cause. C.”
She posted the comment with the title “Catherine Wales,” which is one of her rarely seen or used names in public
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The world knows her better as Kate Middleton (her name before marrying Prince William) or by her official title, the Princess of Wales (or Catherine, Princess of Wales)
It is believed Harry and William were both known as “Wales” when they were at school. Subsequently, William was known as Flight Lieutenant Wales in the RAF, and Harry went by Captain Harry Wales in the British Army
And the tradition has passed down to their children, it seems, with George, Charlotte and Louis all reportedly known as “Wales” at school
“Catherine Wales” has appeared publicly before in a royal context. In 2022, Queen Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall, used the name when discussing who she wanted to photograph her for the cover of a special royal edition of Country Life, marking her 75th birthday. Speaking to the magazine’s team, Camilla said she was thinking of asking “Catherine” to take the picture, before clarifying that she meant “Catherine Wales” — referring to Kate
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Ted’s JustGiving page, set up by his father, Pete Haslam, has currently raised more than £15,000 ($20,000). The page’s description explains that Ted has already scaled Yr Wyddfa in Wales twice, and has summited Scotland’s Ben Nevis
