Hiker left ‘speechless’ after bumping into Kate on her Three Peaks challenge
Catherine, Princess of Wales, said she wanted to ‘give something back’ as she completed the Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for the hospital where she received cancer treatment, as ITV News’ Mahatir Pasha reports
A hiker has described being left “speechless” after unexpectedly meeting the Princess of Wales while she was doing a Three Peaks challenge for charity over the weekend.
Jacky Leung was waiting for his friend after the pair had trekked to the top of Ben Nevis, in the Scottish Highlands, when Princess Kate walked past him.
“When I first saw her heading up, she looked very serious, really determined,” Leung told ITV News. But then she smiled and waved at him, he said.
Mr Leung said he initially didn’t know how to greet a royal and was worried about being impolite, but Kate started the conversation by asking if he was okay and whether he had made it to the top yet.
When he said he had, the Princess congratulated him and said, “Well done.”
“It was just mental,” Leung said. “I had never expected a scenario like this face-to-face.”
The Princess of Wales was completing the Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, the hospital where she received cancer treatment.
In a video posted over the weekend, she said she wanted to “give something back” and “explore life beyond cancer”.
The future queen revealed on social media that she had climbed the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales – Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon – all within 24 hours.
Kate completed the trip solo with the support of Mountain Rescue, trekking for 23 miles, with a total ascent of more than 10,000 feet.
Mr Leung described how confused he was to see a member of the Royal Family hiking up Ben Nevis on her own without any security.
Kitted out in full walking gear and a flat cap, Leung said many other people didn’t recognise her.
It was only when they saw the news the next day that him and his friend had realised who they’d spotted.
Mr Leung said he admires the Princess for her work raising awareness of cancer and for the hospital’s work, describing her as “sincere” and “kind”.
“She is really a role model for everyone,” he added.
The Princess of Wales was diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer in March 2024 and came into remission in January 2025.
She was treated for cancer at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea, west London, and The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity has launched a specially designed fundraising page to raise money for holistic care.