Kate Middleton Releases a New Statement Related to Her Royal Work Days After Wimbledon Appearance

Kate Middleton understands the "power of nature to support our development and well-being" and is excited to support a way to bring the outdoors to more people.

Just days after making her second public appearance of the year at Wimbledon as she continues to undergo cancer treatment, the Princess of Wales issued a message on July 18 celebrating the launch of two new gardens at the Natural History Museum in London, of which she serves as the royal patron.

"I am hugely supportive of the Museum’s commitment to create a special space which encourages people of all ages to reconnect with nature and learn more about how we can protect our natural world," Princess Kate, 42, said in a statement.

"I know the power of nature to support our development and well-being, both by bringing us joy and helping to keep us physically, mentally and spiritually healthy. I hope these gardens will be inspiring and transformative for the thousands of people who visit," she added.

The message was shared across the Instagram Stories of the official account she shares with her husband, Prince William. The Prince and Princess of Wales' team teased that something was coming by sharing the Natural History Museum's Instagram post about the opening of the new gardens at the center, along with an eyeball emoji.

Princess Kate's patronage of the Natural History Museum was announced in 2013. At the time, the palacesaidthe role reflected her "interest in the natural world," and the museum has become a favorite place to visit with her three children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6.

The Princess of Wales recently nodded to her personal connection with nature in a new photo released along with apersonal message released on June 14 where she shared her first health update sinceannouncing her cancer diagnosis. The solo snap by photographer Matt Porteous was taken in Windsor, showing Kate dressed casually in jeans with her arms folded as she posed outdoors against a tree.

A proponent of “forest bathing,” the Japanese practice of immersing oneself in nature to recharge, Princess Kate has long advocated for the benefits of the outdoors for both children and adults.

"I really feel that nature and being interactive outdoors has huge benefits on our physical and mental well-being," she said in 2019.

Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith recently told PEOPLE about the portrait, "There she is in nature, which has fortified her, and looking upward in a sign of real hope and encouragement for everybody."

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Princess Kate's new statement was shared on Instagram with throwback photos of her visit to the Natural History Museum to promote the Urban Nature Project three years ago.

In June 2021, the royal stepped out in a pink blazer and jeans to promote the key initiative in her role as patron. In tandem with other museums and wildlife organizations across the U.K., the Urban Project aims to help people reconnect with the natural world and understand the importance of nature in urban landscapes as they find everyday ways to protect the planet and support wildlife.

At one point during the solo stop, the royal mom of three sat cross-legged on a wooden platform in the museum's garden to join some schoolchildren as they learned about spiders. 

Kate also brought along a sweet treat from home: honey!

"This came specially from my beehive," she said, according to Rebecca English of the Daily Mail, who said that Kate referenced Anmer Hall, her country home in Norfolk.

"Does it taste like honey from the shops? Does it taste like flowers?" she asked.

The Princess of Wales has maintained a low profile after announcing in March that she is undergoing treatment for cancer and made her second public appearance of the year at Wimbledon with her daughter, Princess Charlotte, and sister, Pippa Middleton, on July 14.

She received a standing ovation as she made her way into the Royal Box at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, of which she serves as patron.

"This will have given her sustenance. She has gone through something awful and stressful, and it is crucial to have little wins to look forward to or to give you the courage and energy to go forward," a palace insider tells PEOPLE exclusively in this week’s issue. "And this was it."

Princess Kate's appearance at Wimbledon last weekend and Trooping the Colour on June 15 do not signify a return to royal duties. In her first personal health update since she announced her cancer diagnosis in March, the Princess of Wales shared a "hope" to join "a few public engagements over the summer, but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet."

Her appearance at Wimbledonwas likely her last public outing for some time, as the royals traditionally retreat from the public eye in the summer months.

"She won’t have to be on center stage," a palace insider tells PEOPLE. "Being with her family and just being herself will give her energy. There will be plenty of time to focus on her recovery."

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