The Prince of Wales delivered an unexpected pre-recorded video tribute at the first-ever Bowelbabe Fund Rebel Ball, held on what would have been Dame Deborah James’s 45th birthday.Prince William described the late campaigner as “an amazing woman,” telling attendees, who included her loved ones, that her fund for Cancer Research UK had accomplished a great deal over the past four and a half years by backing pioneering research, “giving more people more time with the ones they love.”Reflecting on her spirit, he recalled: “What struck me was Deborah’s positivity and humour in the face of adversity, what she liked to call ‘rebellious hope’.”He added: “Tonight would have been Deborah’s 45th birthday and I know she would have wanted everyone dancing, celebrating and making memories.”The Prince of Wales delivered an unexpected pre-recorded video tribute at the first-ever Bowelbabe Fund Rebel Ball, held on what would have been Dame Deborah James’s 45th birthday | INSTAGRAM/@BOWELBABEThe London fundraising gala was presented by television personality Gaby Roslin, with entertainment from Sophie Ellis-Bextor alongside the West End ensemble of Disco Inferno.Dame Deborah’s husband, Sebastien Bowen, spoke of the significance of marking the occasion on such a meaningful date.”On what would’ve been Deborah’s 45th birthday, we wanted to honour her memory and the Rebel Ball captured so much of what made her special: her energy, her courage and her ability to bring people together behind a cause she believed in,” he said.The evening served as both a celebration and a continuation of the campaigner’s mission to unite people around bowel cancer awareness.Dame Deborah established the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK in May 2022, setting a modest initial goal of £250,000. The total raised quickly surpassed all expectations, climbing into the millions.The fund channels resources into cutting-edge bowel cancer research while also working to boost public awareness of the disease.Dame Deborah, who hosted the popular BBC podcast You, Me And The Big C, had first been diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016. Her tireless campaigning and extraordinary fundraising efforts earned her a damehood, an honour that carried deep personal significance given the circumstances in which it was bestowed.William personally conferred the honour, visiting Dame Deborah at her family home where she was receiving hospice-at-home care. The heir to the throne shared afternoon tea and champagne with her and her relatives during the visit, which took place just weeks before her death.Dame Deborah died in 2022 at the age of 40, having transformed her diagnosis into a powerful platform for change. Her legacy continues through the fund that bears her name, supporting the kind of groundbreaking research she championed throughout her years of campaigning and inspiring countless others to speak openly about bowel cancer.