During a visit to a London beer hall, Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, shared her new approach to alcohol. “Since my diagnosis, I haven’t had much alcohol,” she said, after declining an offered beer at Fabal Beerhall. “It’s something I have to be a lot more conscious of now.”
One year after her remission announcement, Middleton’s revelation makes sense. In 1987, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classed alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen, noting that there was no safe level for human consumption. The grouping was cited on sufficient evidence showing “causality for cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus (squamous cell carcinoma), and liver.”
While these risks are relative for light, moderate, and heavy drinkers, the link between cancer and alcohol has been documented for many years. Middleton, it appears, has taken this understandably seriously, changing her relationship with alcohol in light of her diagnosis, remission, and subsequent recovery.
Two years ago, in March 2024, the princess shared a recorded video statement confirming her cancer diagnosis. “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’m so grateful,” her message began. “In January [2024], I underwent major abdominal surgery in London, and at the time, it was thought that my condition was noncancerous. 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 preventive chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.” The princess detailed that the diagnosis had been a “huge shock” for her family and that the recovery from such major surgery had taken a significant amount of time.
Then, in January 2025, the Princess of Wales announced that she was in remission, sharing the news via an emotional Instagram post. “It is a relief to now be in remission, and I remain focused on recovery,” she wrote. “As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am, however, looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support.”
The Princess of Wales’ long-term health plan clearly includes a shift in attitude about how often and how much alcohol she consumes. We wish her the very best with her continued recovery.
Have a beauty or wellness trend you’re curious about? We want to know! Send Vogue’s senior beauty and wellness editor an email at beauty@vogue.com.