The Duke of Cambridge today praised ‘brilliant, brave and inspirational’ bowel babe Dame Deborah James as he met some of the staff who treated her.

He also donned medical scrubs and viewed first hand pioneering robotic surgery delivering faster, more accurate treatment to cancer patients on a visit to The Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea where Dame Deborah was a patient.

Earlier this month William, who is President of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, privately visited her at home in Woking, Surrey, where she has been discharged for home hospice care with her family.