Deborah James has been battling cancer for over five years. The BBC presenter, who is now terminally ill, is being ennobled by the Queen for her commitment and fundraising campaign in favor of cancer research. James receives the knightly order from Prince William himself.

British radio presenter Deborah James, who is suffering from terminal cancer and was recently knighted by the Queen, received her knighthood personally from Prince William. In pictures that James put on his Instagram account on Friday evening, the second in line to the British throne could be seen with 40-year-old James and relatives in the family garden.

"Prince William actually came to our house today!" wrote James. "I am very honored that he joined us for afternoon tea and champagne (...)". Not only did William spend a lot of time with the family, but he also brought her order, which gives her the title of lady, the female equivalent of sir.

In her Instagram post, James said, "It's pretty surreal to have a royal visit your home," and how much time the family put into the preparations. "But it was all irrelevant because William was so nice and put us all at ease." It was "such a special day" for her whole family. "Memories that will last a lifetime. He's always welcome back!"

James was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016, which had already metastasized. The presenter made her name with a BBC podcast about cancer, in which she spoke very openly about her own illness. She also documented her progress and challenges on social media. In 2020, she announced she was cancer-free before the disease returned.

A few days ago, James announced that she was no longer in a hospital but was receiving palliative care at home. Her body could no longer withstand the fight against the disease, she wrote.

With a call for donations in favor of cancer research, she says she has managed to collect more than 5 million pounds (5.9 million euros) since then. Prince William and his wife, Duchess Kate, also supported James' campaign via Twitter. According to media reports, the two royals are also said to have made private donations.