The Kate Middleton effect: Visits to cancer advice websites and NHS advice page surge five-fold in wake of Princess of Wales’s shock diagnosis

The Princess of Wales revealing her cancer diagnosis has led to soaring enquiries on NHS and charity websites.

Visits to the NHS website’s cancer page rose by nearly five-fold following the announcement, while Cancer Research UK and Macmillan also reported a surge in clicks.

In an emotional video issued on Friday evening, the Princess told how she was diagnosed with cancer last month, having spent a fortnight in the private London Clinic for abdominal surgery in January.

By following in the footsteps of the King, experts hope Kate’s message of hope will encourage more people living with disease to reach out for support.

Figures show in the 24 hours after revealing she is undergoing treatment, there were 2,840 visits to the NHS page, up 373 per cent on the same period the previous week.

Some 4,172 people – the equivalent of one person every three seconds – looked at the cancer symptoms page in the three hours after her recorded television message.

The page had 1,922 visits during the same timeframe a week earlier.

Meanwhile, Cancer Research UK had more than 200,000 visitors to its support pages and Macmillan close to 100,000 by the end of Sunday – the highest weekend figures since the first national Covid in March 2020.

In her television address, Kate spoke of taking time to tell their children to ‘reassure them I am going to be ok’.

Gemma Peters, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support said many cancer patients would relate to her words.

She said: ‘We hear from people every day who are worried about how cancer will affect their loved ones, and how best to support each other through it.

‘In sharing her news, the Princess of Wales has raised awareness of these worries and will be helping to encourage others who have concerns, to visit their GP and seek support.’

She added: ‘Many will be relating to the Prince and Princess of Wales at this time.

‘Some of the first thoughts parents have after being diagnosed with cancer are how it may affect their children, and whether talking to them about it will make them worry but it is important to give them the chance to talk openly about their fears.’

Similarly, Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said online traffic increased by more than a 15 per cent on Friday.

She said: ‘These figures show how high-profile cancer cases can act as a prompt to encourage people to find out more or think about their own health.

‘If people spot something that’s not normal for them or isn’t going away, they should check with their GP. Spotting cancer at an early stage means treatment is more likely to be successful.’

Changes to the body’s normal processes or unusual, unexplained symptoms can sometimes be an early sign of cancer.

Symptoms that need to be checked by a doctor include a lump that suddenly appears, unexplained bleeding and changes to bowel habits.

In many cases symptoms will be caused by another condition, but if it is cancer, an early diagnosis means it’s easier to treat.

Simple changes to lifestyle – such as healthy eating, taking regular exercise and not smoking – can also significantly reduce a person’s risk of developing cancer.

NHS England said numbers peaked straight after the announcement, with 1,678 visits to the symptoms page including information of types of disease, spotting symptoms, and early diagnosis between 6pm and 7pm last Friday.

Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England’s national clinical director for Cancer, said: ‘Receiving a cancer diagnosis can be very daunting – it turns your life upside down and speaking about it can be really difficult for people – the Princess of Wales bravely speaking out about her diagnosis will help others to do the same.

‘Thanks to this, we have seen a spike in people visiting vital information on our website about signs and symptoms – there is no doubt that talking about cancer saves lives if it encourages people to come forward sooner if things aren’t right.’

Kate’s cancer battle in her own words: The Princess of Wales’ emotional video statement in full 

I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you, personally, for all the wonderful messages of support and for your understanding whilst I have been recovering from surgery.

It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but I’ve had a fantastic medical team who have taken great care of me, for which I am so grateful.

In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.

This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.

As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to

George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be ok.

As I have said to them; I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits.

Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too. As is the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you. It means so much to us both.

We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery.

At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.