It has been nearly a year since Kate Middleton publicly shared her cancer diagnosis, and the Princess of Wales is continuing her recovery and return to royal duties. After undergoing significant abdominal surgery in January 2024, Kate revealed on March 22 of that year that she had been diagnosed with cancer, detected during the surgery. Following a period of recovery and treatment, Kate announced in September 2024 that her chemotherapy had ended, and by January 2025, she shared that she was in remission.
Although Kate had been largely absent from the public eye in 2024, with only a few appearances, her return to royal duties has been significant. According to royal historian Amanda Foreman, Kate has transformed her public outings into more meaningful moments, breaking away from the usual “Instagrammable” approach. “She is ahead of the curve—creating the meaningful moment rather than the Instagrammable moment,” Foreman told People. “She’s the MVP of the royal family, and no one knew when she was going to come back.”
Despite being in remission, the impact of her health journey has clearly been profound. Royal biographer Ingrid Seward remarked, “It takes time to feel comfortable and do things your way without always worrying.” Fashion director Bethan Holt also spoke to Kate’s strength and drive, saying, “She has an inner steel about what she wants and a drive that will be reflected in what she does and what she wears.”
As she continues to return to royal engagements in 2025, including visits to Wales and a recent Six Nations rugby match with Prince William, Kate has been careful to manage expectations. Biographer Sally Bedell Smith noted that “She has been very good at managing expectations, and it’s wise for her to downplay it a bit because when she does more than people anticipated, it has a greater impact.” Bedell Smith added that Kate is “feeling closer to 100 percent than one would have thought at this stage.”
Kate’s resilience continues to inspire, with her latest engagement being her solo appearance at the Irish Guards’ St. Patrick’s Day parade, where she attended as the regiment’s Colonel-in-Chief.
