Prince William opens £70m Oak Cancer Centre

The royal reunited with a matron from his university work experience

Prince William talks to patients during a visit to open the Oak Cancer Centre research and treatment facility at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey. PA

Prince William officially inaugurated the Oak Cancer Centre at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton on Thursday.

He had a significant role in the creation of the £70 million state-of-the-art research and treatment hospital, having launched the appeal for its creation back in 2015.

The Prince of Wales has followed progress on the development of the centre through his role as the Royal Marsden NHS foundation trust president.

Prince William talks to a researcher as he visits The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust's Oak Cancer Centre. AFP

Three years after laying the foundation stone, the centre has now been equipped with new outpatient facilities, a medical day care, and a collaboration space for clinical researchers.

Prince William said of the opening of the centre: “The Oak Cancer Centre is a major milestone in both The Royal Marsden’s history and the future of early diagnosis.”

He added that he was incredibly proud to be standing in the beautiful building, witnessing first-hand how it will transform the lives of cancer patients around the world.

The opening of the hospital also provided a reunion for Prince William with Matron Lorraine Hyde, who supervised his work experience when he was a 23-year-old student. The royal referred to his time under her supervision as “the good old days back at university.”

Prince William interacted with patients and witnessed how the new facility will impact their treatments.