Kate Middleton Shares She ‘Didn’t Have to Have’ Cold Cap Therapy During Chemo, Patient Says…See More

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’s hair has long been a hallmark of her style, and during a visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital, a cancer patient revealed that the princess shared she “didn’t have to have” cold cap therapy—a treatment that helps reduce the risk of hair loss—during her cancer treatment.

On Jan. 14, the Princess of Wales made a surprise visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, where she met with staff and patients undergoing treatment. The unannounced visit coincided with the confirmation that the princess had previously received care at the hospital. Kate, 43, first revealed her diagnosis of an unspecified type of cancer in March 2024 and announced she had completed chemotherapy in September. After her hospital visit, she shared the news that she is now in remission.

Katherine Field, a patient undergoing cancer treatment who met Princess Kate during her visit, tells PEOPLE that they discussed cold capping — a scalp cooling system that can help reduce hair loss during chemotherapy, according to the American Cancer Society. Field, who was wearing a cold cap at the time, said the conversation added a personal connection to their encounter.

“I hate it, but I think it is working. Today there is a little bit of hair coming out, but I’m just trying to delay it,” Field, an art historian and curator, tells PEOPLE.

When asked if Princess Kate mentioned using a cold cap, Field shared, “She just said that she didn’t have to have it. For her to lose her hair, which is so iconic, would have been awful. Everyone loves her hair!”