“I was briefed not to, but you know what? Again, you can take the girl out of Essex and all of that, but I just saw a mom that has also gone through cancer publicly, and I just wanted to give her a hug,” the “Price Tag” hitmaker admitted.
What did Jessie J take permission from Kate?
Jessie shared that she asked for permission before the embrace. “It was as simple as that. I didn’t see her as the Princess of Wales, I mean, obviously I did, and I was respectful, and we had a conversation, and I said to her, ‘Can I give you a hug?’ and she received it,” Jessie recalled.
The singer said she connected with Kate on a deeply personal level. “I just said, ‘It’s inspiring.’ I know the days that she has maybe gone through, and I just wanted to give her a hug — mom to mom, human to human,” she shared.
Jessie J’ breast cancer
Jessie J revealed in June that she was battling early breast cancer, sharing the news through an Instagram post.
Princess Kate, 43, publicly announced her own cancer diagnosis in March 2024 via a video released by Kensington Palace. She later confirmed in a January 2025 social media post that she was in remission.
Who is Jessie J?
Jessie J (born Jessica Ellen Cornish on 27 March 1988) is an English singer-songwriter known for her powerhouse vocals, pop anthems, and international chart success. She rose to fame after signing with Republic Records and releasing her debut single “Do It Like a Dude”, which reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.
Her global breakthrough came with “Price Tag”, a hit that topped charts in 19 countries, including the UK. The song was part of her debut album Who You Are (2011), which produced multiple UK Top 10 singles such as “Nobody’s Perfect,” “Who You Are,” “Domino,” and “Laserlight.” With six Top 10 hits from one album, Jessie J became the first British female artist to achieve this milestone.
Jessie J’s follow-up album Alive (2013) reached the UK Top 5, while her third album Sweet Talker (2014)—featuring the worldwide smash “Bang Bang”—earned her her highest U.S. chart position, debuting at No. 10 on the Billboard 200.
By 2015, she had sold over 20 million singles and 3 million albums worldwide. She later released the four-part album R.O.S.E. in 2018 and a holiday record, This Christmas Day.