Princess Kate has been photographed sharing an emotional embrace with Jessie J after the pair spoke about their respective cancer diagnosis’.
On Wednesday night, the Royal Variety Performance was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London, during which Jessie J took to the stage alongside acts including Britain’s Got Talent winner Harry Moulding and the casts of the West End shows Les Misérables and Paddington.
However, photos taken backstage showed an intimate moment between the Princess of Wales and Jessie J – real name Jessica Ellen Cornish.
Breaking away from royal protocol, Kate, 43, hugged Jessie, 37, with the pair briefly speaking about their recent experiences with cancer.
In January, Princess Kate announced she was in remission from an undisclosed form of cancer, while Jessie underwent a mastectomy in June as part of her treatment for breast cancer.
According to Daily Mail, Jessie J told her: ‘I just had breast cancer. I just want to give you a hug. Cancer really puts life into perspective.’
She later elaborated on what unfolded, sharing: ‘Mum to mum, who has just recently gone through cancer, I just wanted to give her a hug.
‘We acknowledged that it’s something that is not easy to go through, especially in the public eye.’
Last night Jessie performed her new song I’ll Never Know Why, which was writer in honour of her bodyguard Dave, who died by suicide in 2021.
She was told by Princess Kate that it was ‘such a moving song’, to which the singer replied: ‘It is such an important conversation. I just miss him, and I want to help others.’
Jessie then also spoke to the royal about how she’d just spoken to her husband, Prince William, about the importance of providing mental health support to men and how they could team up to do so.
‘He would love to get me involved. They are interested and know how important it is to share the message,’ Jessie explained.
During her performance, Jessie had worn a black hoodie and sweatpants to signify someone who was battling with depression sitting at home.
‘They don’t want to get up in the morning, put on a fancy dress or wear make-up. They’re just wearing they’re comfies on the sofa,’ she said.
Last year Princess Kate missed out on attending the Royal Variety Performance as she was still recovering from cancer.
During a visit to a hospital in Essex in July, she candidly spoke about her experience. ‘You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment, treatments 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,’ she shared.
‘You have to find your new normal and that takes time…and it’s a rollercoaster it’s not one smooth plane, which you expect it to be. But the reality is it’s not, you go through hard times,’ she added.
In March 2024 it was announced that she’d been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy. After stepping out of the spotlight for a few, she later returned to the Trooping the Colour in June and three months later announced she intended to return duties after her treatment had ended.
Meanwhile Jessie announced in June that she’d been diagnosed with ‘early breast cancer’ a few months prior.
After undergoing a full mastectomy, she received the all-clear in August, and later said she was feeling ‘cautiously confident’ but still needed another surgery and ‘to heal’.
Macmillan cancer support
If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer, Macmillan can offer support and information.
You can contact their helpline on 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm), use their webchat service, or visit their site for more information.
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