Catherine, Princess of Wales wasn’t alone when she completed her impressive Three Peaks challenge - climbing the highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales over a 24 hour period - she had her brother right by her side.
In new footage shared on social media, per Hello, the Princess is seen holding hands with James Middleton as they make their way down Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon).
James being there for his sister’s impressive achievement goes beyond a brotherly helping hand - it speaks to their unbreakable bond and the moving promise he made to his sister when she was diagnosed with cancer.
In March 2024, shortly after Catherine publicly announced she was dealing with cancer treatment, James posted a photo of the pair when they were younger. In his protective and emotive caption, he wrote, “Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you too”.
And he kept that promise - quite literally - supporting the future Queen as they trekked down the Welsh mountain, hand-in-hand. It was also reported that she had further support waiting for her at the bottom.
Michael and Carole Middleton, were waiting to cheer on their daughter - and, as it turns out, their son as well - as she descended Snowdon, and Prince William brought the couple’s three children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - to celebrate mum’s milestone.
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Dressed down in a pair of red North Face shorts, a sporty cap, and a rucksack, there have been stories that many hikers almost didn't recognise the Princess. Indeed, one young boy who has been paralysed since he was three told ITV's This Morning that he didn't know who she was after she had struck up conversation with him.
Ted Haslam and a group of friends and family were climbing Britain's highest peak when Catherine came across them. Immediately showing her maternal side and checking he wasn't too cold, Ted told This Morning that the Princess remembered him after he had met Prince William and Prince George at an Aston Villa game.
He said, "The funny thing was that she realised who I was, but I didn't realise who she was" with his dad offering, "It took a while for the penny to drop" and praised the Princess for just getting on with it like "any other hiker".
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Without any show or artifice, the Princess only kept one touch of regal glamour on her as she took on the 23-mile challenge in a bid to raise awareness for cancer treatments - her engagement ring.
When Catherine shared her post revealing she’d taken on the challenge, her iconic sapphire engagement ring stood out against the grey, drizzly mountains and her raincoat. It’s, arguably, not a coincidence.
The Princess could have been sending a message of just where she takes her strength from - her family. The ring has been there through her battle with cancer, and it was there as she pushed her body with this gruelling challenge.
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Sharing why she’d carried out the challenge, Catherine wrote in a social media caption, “Cancer doesn’t just affect the body. It changes how you think and feel and profoundly affects every aspect of life. I know this personally, and that the journey through and beyond treatment requires more than medicine alone.
"We have an opportunity to reshape what the future of holistic cancer care looks like, enabling more people, nationwide, to access the kind of personalised support that can help make a meaningful difference during and after medical treatment.”
