When Princess Diana visited the Royal Marsden Hospital in 1990 to celebrate the construction of a new wing, she wore polka dots and a hard hat that read “HRH” on the side. On Wednesday, Prince WIlliam followed suit by making a visit to the internationally-recognized NHS cancer hospital to lay a foundation stone for another new wing under construction. Though he opted for subdued navy chinos and a surgical mask, he did mention his mother’s visit when he gave a speech honoring the Royal Marsden’s staff and patients.

“I am personally delighted to be with you today to lay the foundation stone of the Oak Centre, 30 years after my mother did the very same thing at The Royal Marsden in Chelsea, commemorating the building of the Chelsea Wing,” he said in a speech before picking up a trowel to lay his brick. Afterward, the Kensington Palace Instagram account posted an image from Diana’s visit to the Chelsea hospital alongside photos of William talking to a group of patients.

He mentioned some of those patients when he spoke, mentioning the difficulties they faced in seeking cancer treatment during the pandemic. “Earlier this morning I was privileged to meet patients who all spoke about the exceptional care they received, and how they felt safe in very difficult and often frightening times,” he said. “The knock-on effects of coronavirus have been felt widely, but the impact on cancer treatment for patients up and down the country has been one of the most acute and challenging.”

William’s visit was also intended to highlight the fact that the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust still needs to raise £8 million to cover the full construction costs of the new wing. Queen Elizabeth has been the patron of the trust since 1952, but in 2007 William became its president. Diana visited the hospital on her first solo engagement after her wedding and served as its president from 1989 until her death in 1997. The trust received £1 million from the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund a year later.

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