In a poignant moment that transcended royal protocol, the Princess of Wales shared a warm and emotional embrace with singer Jessie J backstage at the Royal Variety Performance, bonding over their recent experiences with cancer.
A Moment of Shared Understanding
The touching scene unfolded on Wednesday night at London's Royal Albert Hall, where Jessie J performed her new song I'll Never Know Why, written in honour of her bodyguard Dave who died by suicide in 2021. Following her performance, the singer, whose real name is Jessica Ellen Cornish, approached the Princess backstage.
Breaking away from traditional royal formalities, Kate, 43, hugged Jessie, 37, as the pair briefly discussed their respective cancer journeys. According to the Daily Mail, Jessie told the Princess: 'I just had breast cancer. I just want to give you a hug. Cancer really puts life into perspective.'
The singer later elaborated on their conversation, revealing they had connected 'mum to mum' about the challenges of facing cancer, particularly while in the public eye. 'We acknowledged that it's something that is not easy to go through, especially in the public eye,' she shared.
Connecting Through Shared Experience
Both women have faced significant health challenges recently. In January, Princess Kate announced she was in remission from an undisclosed form of cancer after undergoing chemotherapy. She had previously missed last year's Royal Variety Performance while recovering from treatment.
Meanwhile, Jessie J underwent a full mastectomy in June as part of her treatment for early breast cancer, receiving the all-clear in August. The singer said she was feeling 'cautiously confident' but still needed another surgery and time to heal.
The Princess has spoken candidly about the difficulties of cancer recovery during a hospital visit in Essex this past July. '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,' she shared.
Mental Health Conversations and Future Collaboration
During their backstage conversation, Princess Kate complimented Jessie's performance of I'll Never Know Why, calling it 'such a moving song.' The singer responded that it represented 'such an important conversation' about mental health, adding: 'I just miss him, and I want to help others.'
The discussion then turned to potential future collaborations, with Jessie revealing she'd spoken to Prince William about the importance of providing mental health support to men. 'He would love to get me involved. They are interested and know how important it is to share the message,' the singer explained.
For her performance, Jessie had made a powerful sartorial statement, wearing a black hoodie and sweatpants to represent someone battling depression 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 of her outfit choice.
The emotional encounter between the Princess and the singer highlighted the profound connections that can form between individuals who have faced similar health challenges, demonstrating that even public figures navigate deeply personal journeys with cancer and recovery.
