Kate also embraced Claire’s partner Pablo and said: “Well done. It’s just as hard for the family and loved ones.”
And she said to Claire’s young son: “Isn’t Mummy brave?”
The princess encouraged her to ring the bell while saying: “You can do it!”
The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, looking after more than 60,000 patients a year, and serves a population of 3.2 million people from Greater Manchester and the surrounding areas.
Among its holistic therapies, all free of charge to patients and carers, are drop-in art classes, a well-being garden and a chaplaincy service.
Kate joined in an art session with six patients.
Resident artist Patricia Mountfield told her: “It can be very isolating for some people.
“We have patients who come in and forget about everything while they are in here.”
Talking about having cancer, the princess said: “It changes you in so many ways physically but also emotionally and psychologically, and actually finding ways to express that and to explore that is quite difficult.
“To do this in a clinical setting is really important.”
