It has been almost a year since Kate Middleton has publicly shared her diagnosis of cancer, and the princess of Wales continues her recovery and returns to royal tasks. After undergoing significant abdominal surgery in January 2024, Kate revealed on March 22 of the same year that she had received a cancer diagnosis, detected during surgery. After a period of recovery and treatment, Kate announced in September 2024 that her chemotherapy was over and, in January 2025, she shared that she was in remission.
Although Kate was largely absent from the public’s eyes in 2024, with only a few appearances, her return to royal functions was significant. According to the historian Royal Amanda Foreman, Kate transformed her public outings into more significant moments, standing out from the usual “Instagrammable” approach. “It is ahead of the curve – creating the significant moment rather than the instagrammable moment,” said Foreman People. “She is the MVP of the royal family, and no one knew when she was going to come back.”
Although he was in remission, the impact of his health career was clearly deep. The Royal Ingrid Seward biographer has pointed out: “It takes time to feel comfortable and do things in your own way without always worrying.” Fashion director Bethan Holt also spoke to Kate’s strength and conduct, saying: “She has an inner steel on what she wants and a journey that will be reflected in what she does and what she carries.”
While she continues to return to Royal Commitments in 2025, including visits to Wales and a recent six nations rugby match with Prince William, Kate took care to manage expectations. The biographer Sally Bedell Smith noted that “she was very good in the management of expectations, and it is wise for her to minimize it a little because when she does more than the planned people, this has a greater impact.” Bedell Smith added that Kate “feels closer to 100% than that would have thought at this stage”.
Kate’s resilience continues to inspire, her latest commitment being his solo appearance during the Irish Guards Saint-Patrick parade, where she attended the regiment’s chief colonel.
