By Maysa Rawi

Last updated at 6:49 PM on 29th September 2011


 

It was the hospital Princess Diana chose for her first solo charity trip.

So it is rather fitting that the Duchess of Cambridge should follow suit for her second official engagement since the Royal Wedding with husband Prince William today.

Kate was all smiles in an elegant cream Amanda Wakeley dress at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in South London, where she spent the afternoon meeting medical staff, young patients and their parents.

The Royal couple meet Digby Davidson, was treated for cancer last year but suffered a relapse and spends much of his time in hospital

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge meet with patient Digby Davidson today as part of their tour of the Oak Centre, a new 18m cancer unit at the Royal Marsden hospital in Sutton

William, president of the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, poses with patient Ellis Andrews at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust in South London, while Kate, right, chats to patient Fabian Bate

A sleep-deprived William, who flew a mercy mission just hours before opening the new 18 million children's cancer unit, looked slightly less sprightly but just as enthusiastic as he chatted with patients.

William and Kate, both 29, are touring the Oak Centre for Children and Young People which has been built to treat day and inpatients.

Before the couple's arrival, patients and hospital staff crowded on to the building's balconies, some waving Union flags, and  a huge cheer erupted as Kate and William's car pulled up.

After waving to the crowds, the Duke and Duchess met Royal Marsden's chief executive, Cally Palmer, and chairman, Ian Molson.

Kate and Beth Ansell

Kate, is spending her time trying to get to know various charities and good causes so she can decide what her future role will be, chats animatedly to 18-year-old Beth Ansell

Referring to his overnight search and rescue call-out, William joked: 'It was a bit of an early morning.

'It's great to be here finally - we've been talking about this for a while.'

The couple met two young leukaemia sufferers as they toured the new unit which has greatly improved the facilities for patients.

They joined Digby Davidson, 14, and his parents, Hermione, 41, and Fergus, 38, in a four-bed ward.

As the Duke walked in, he had his jacket off, sleeves rolled up and was rubbing antiseptic gel into his hands.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit the Royal Marsden to open a new 18 million children's cancer unit in Sutton, Surrey today

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were greeted by  a huge cheer and fans carrying Union Jacks

The Duchess wore an Amanda Wakeley dress with L.K. Bennett court shoes

Digby was treated for cancer last year but suffered a relapse which meant he had spent much of the previous three months in the new hospital unit which began treating patients in 2010.

William asked the teenager if they could join him on the bed and they laughed as the head of the bed was lowered and the royal couple sat either side of the young patient.

Kate is a natural with the crowds, obviously becoming more comfortable with the attention

In a nearby bright lime green alcove containing a series of shelves, Digby had a few personal possessions and William quickly spotted a picture of the 14-year-old in military uniform.

'Is that you?' the Duke asked, and Digby, dressed in flip flops, bright Bermuda shorts and a dark T-shirt, explained he was in the Army Cadet Force.

Mrs Davidson made everyone laugh when she said her son had missed Army camp because of his relapse.

Welcome wagon: Kate greets some if her younger fans

Children and staff wait for the couples' arrival

Children and hospital staff wait for the couple to arrive carrying a welcome banner

The teenager and his parents spent around 10 minutes chatting privately to the royal couple and Mrs Davidson said afterwards: 'William was joking about Digby's flip flops and shorts - he said he had a tropical theme that fitted in with decor.'

Digby, the 14-year-old leukaemia patient, said later: 'William and Kate were asking when I last came in and if my friends came to see me.'

Mrs Davidson, a special needs teacher from Haywards Heath in West Sussex, said the royals came across as a normal couple.

She said: 'They were just very laid back and easy to talk to, it didn't feel strange.'

Later Harry Poil, 12, and his father Tony, 55, a Gatwick Airport security officer from Crawley, West Sussex met the Duke and Duchess.

Duchess of Cambridge

Prince William, greeting hospital staff, was also invited to unveil a plaque to officially open the centre

The sleep-deprived Duke flew a mercy mission to take a sailor to see a seriously-ill relative just hours before today's even, left, while Kate looked as glossy as usual

The schoolboy said sport was the topic of conversation he shared with William.

The 12-year-old said: 'I'm a Chelsea supporter and we were chatting about last night's (Champions League) match. We had a penalty against us and William thought it was a bit dubious.

'He asked me if I was a cricket fan, and I said I was, and if I had been following the Ashes series. Kate said she was more into rugby than football.

During the visit, William was reunited with Alice Marples, a cancer patient who interviewed him two years ago for the CBBC Newsround programme.

The 12-year-old, who is due to fly to America to receive radiotherapy for a brain tumour, presented Kate with a bouquet of flowers when she arrived at the hospital.

Kate received a bouquet of flowers from Alice Marples, a cancer patient who interviewed Prince William two years ago

First solo trip: Diana visited the Royal Marsden in 1982

First solo trip: Diana visited the Royal Marsden in 1982

A St James's Palace spokesman told the London Evening Standard: 'The Duke is looking forward to seeing Alice again and finding out how she has been.

'Through his close connection with the hospital he has met many inspirational young people, like Alice, who have shown such bravery in battling their illness.

'Tomorrow, he is keen to show the Duchess the incredible work the Royal Marsden does to help Alice and others like her.'

William is president of the Royal Marsden - the first hospital in the world dedicated to cancer treatment and research into the causes of the disease.

He took over from his mother, who took on the role in 1989 until her death in 1997.

William went without sleep last night as he ferried the serviceman from a warship off the Isle of Man to Sandhurst in Surrey.

The royal flew back to his base at RAF Valley on Anglesey just after 9am before making the trip to open the Royal Marsden's new 18 million children's cancer unit in Sutton, south London, a few miles from Sandhurst.

The duke, an RAF search and rescue force helicopter co-pilot, carried out the 'compassionate call-out' during a normal 24-hour shift which also saw him help pick up a casualty with serious head injuries in Snowdonia.

 The Royal Marsden NHS

The Royal Marsden is a cancer centre specialising in diagnosis, treatment, research and education

A St James's Palace spokesman said the duke would have got little, if any, sleep and was expected to arrive at Oak Centre for Children and Young People on a royal flight helicopter this afternoon.

His wife, who was in London, was arriving by car.

The royal couple have been enjoying married life together in North Wales since their glittering nuptials in April.

They have deliberately kept a low profile over recent months as the Duke, a flight lieutenant with the RAF Search and Rescue Force, is focusing on earning a promotion to captain.



 

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below, or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have not been moderated.

I don't care what nasty people say about our Royals, I love them and so do millions of people around the world, I look forward to many years of watching them grow into their roles as our King and Queen.

Wonder why she she removed her ring when she was in the hospital, she was wearing it when she arrived...first time I've ever seen her without it. PROBABLY to avoid infection. In Singapore during that time of great infection - was it bird 'flu? Everyone removed their wedding rings. They told me it was because of need to keep hands as sterile as possible. I know cancer isn't infectious, but those patients certainly don't need to meet an infection when their resistance is so low. Just a thought, I don't really know the answer to the question.

Royals are so annoying. Why don't you people get rid of the monarchy? Are you living in the middle ages? Kate and William are boring and Pippa has no butt. Ugh.

Just another couple living a lavish lifestyle. So sad that taxpayers have to pay for their appearances among other things.

Kate is beautiful -she has the elegance of a European beauty but with the added demure of an English rose. Just because she likes to wear modest priced clothes shows that she is her own woman and not prepared to be used as a clothes horse by the couture houses and ridiculous prices. The catty comments on here are by many who do not know what true elegance is, -it is not how much something costs it is shown by people who have it within themselves and they could virtually wear a bean bag and still show the elegance through it. Kate is class and elegance.

wish people would give her a break. she's a stunning woman and a great role model to women. - Jenn, Grimsby, 29/9/2011 13:33. Seriously? How is she a great role model for women exactly? Follow the object of your affection to the same gap year destination, switch universities when you find out said object is going to St. Andrews and enroll there yourself, move into the same house, do a froo-froo degree because you're really there to bag a husband - the froo froo degree certainly won't make you employable, shack up with object of affection for a decade until he finally agrees to marry you, never develop a work ethic or bother forging any sort of career on your own, drop down from a 4-day work week to a 3-day work week and then quit the job altogether after 9 months when you realize it interferes with availability for boyfriend, finance self through bank of Mum & Dad, then finally get BF down the aisle. Once married, don't bother knuckling down to work either. Some role model.

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