Inside Princess Kate's challenging year as she paces her royal return
The Princess of Wales underwent cancer treatment
By: Catherine Olive, Emily Nash
December 24, 2024
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The Princess of Wales has endured a year of unprecedented personal challenges – nine months of treatment and a necessary retreat from royal life in the face of "preventative chemotherapy" for an undisclosed form of cancer.
From the moment she shared the news that she, like the King, was undergoing treatment for the disease, Kate, 42, showed calmness and courage.
After initially keeping her diagnosis private, until she had been able to process it with her husband the Prince of Wales and their young children in what was "an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family", she has since kept an anxious public informed in her own way, with two very personal video messages.
In the first, released in March, a pale and strained-looking Princess explained that she was undergoing "preventative chemotherapy", after planned abdominal surgery she had undergone two months earlier had revealed the disease.
Describing her diagnosis as a "huge shock", she nevertheless insisted: "I am well and getting stronger every day."
Six months later, in September, she joyfully announced the completion of her treatment in a heartwarming video that gave a charming glimpse into the Waleses' home life.
Watch here...
WATCH: Princess Kate announces end of chemotherapy in heartwarming family video
Against a backdrop of idyllic scenes with William and their children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and six-year-old Prince Louis, the Princess reported that she was entering "a new phase of recovery" and feeling hopeful about what lay ahead.
The closeness of Kate's tight family unit shines through in the film, which was shot by Will Warr, a London-based filmmaker and friend of the family, at their country retreat Anmer Hall and on the Norfolk coast.
As well as hugging her children tightly, Kate wraps an arm around her husband as they lie in the sand, while he kisses her fondly. It's a rare display of the immense affection between the couple, who seem more in love and more united than ever after 13 years of marriage.
Acknowledging this in her moving voiceover, Kate says: "This time has, above all, reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted – of simply loving and being loved."
Royal fans were quick to share their delight at the Princess's good news, as well as excitement about the appearances Kate said she had planned for the autumn.
Explaining that her return to work would be gradual, a source told HELLO!:"The commitment to duty from both her and William is unwavering... but she's cognisant of the fact that the road to recovery is long. She has to focus on that as well."
Kate's message ended with kind words of empathy for others facing similar challenges. "To all those who are continuing their own cancer journey," she says in the video, "I remain with you, side by side, hand in hand."
Welcome return
There can have been no more welcome sight for royal fans this year than that of the Princess of Wales taking her place on the balcony at Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour in June.
Elegant in white and smiling in delight, Kate looked as thrilled to be back as we were to see her.
William and Kate shared a moment together on the balcony
After six months away from the spotlight as she underwent treatment for cancer, she stood alongside her beloved family as she made her formal return to public life. And although she had explained that she was facing "good days and bad days", it was clear that things had taken a turn for the better.
The following month, when sports fan Kate attended the men's tennis singles final at Wimbledon, flanked by daughter Princess Charlotte and sister Pippa Middleton, she received a standing ovation.
Following medical advice, she paced herself carefully during the next few months, taking what royal author Robert Jobson tells HELLO! is a "less is more" approach.
But she did make a handful of appearances alongside her official engagements, joining her husband the Prince on a visit to comfort the families of three young girls tragically killed in Southport this summer, as well as meeting emergency workers who had attended the scene.
William and Kate met families and first responders in Southport
Kate also shared a hug with young photographer and cancer patient Liz Hatton at Windsor Castle, recalling their meeting as "an honour" after Liz's sad death in November.
One of the key moments in her return was the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph in London that month. Kate has not missed the event since her marriage in 2011 and attended with three poppies proudly pinned to her military-inspired black coat.
She also joined the King, the Queen and Prince William to welcome the Emir of Qatar and his wife to the UK as part of their state visit in December.
Festive cheer
Her final planned appearance before the holiday season was a joyous occasion. Hosting her sparkling annual Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey, the Princess joined her husband and children to usher in the festivities at what she called "one of my favourite times of the year".
25 December 2023 – Kate is last seen publicly on Christmas Day
9 January 2024 – Kate celebrates her 42nd birthday, with the King and Queen sharing a behind-the-scenes photo from the coronation to mark the day.
11 January 2024 – William returns to royal duties, meeting rugby heroes Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield at Headingley Stadium in Leeds.
17 January 2024 – Kensington Palace announces in a statement that Kate has undergone abdominal surgery at the London Clinic and that William has temporarily stepped back from royal duties to care for Kate and their children.
18 January 2024 – William visits Kate at the London Clinic.
26 January 2024 – King Charles visits Kate in hospital before undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate.
29 January 2024 – Kate is discharged from hospital and returns home to Windsor to continue her recovery. King Charles also leaves the London Clinic on the same day after his treatment.
7 February 2024 – William resumes royal duties attending London's Air Ambulance Charity gala with Tom Cruise.
10 February 2024 – William and Kate spend February half-term with George, Charlotte and Louis at their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall. Kate's siblings are also pictured on holiday during the school holidays, with James Middleton and Alizee Thevenet flying to the Caribbean with baby Inigo, and Pippa Matthews and her family holidaying on the island of St Barts.
27 February 2024 – Kate said to be "doing well" as William pulls out of King Constantine memorial due to a "personal matter".
29 February 2024 – Kensington Palace addresses social media speculation, reiterating: "We were very clear from the outset that the Princess of Wales was out until after Easter."
10 March 2024 - A photograph of Kate with their three children at home in Windsor is released to mark Mother's Day and to thank the public for their "continued support".
11 March 2024 - Kate publicly apologises for the "confusion" around the photograph as she admitted she "occasionally experiments with editing," after news agencies pulled the image amid claims it had been digitally altered. The Princess is then seen in a car with William as she's driven to a private appointment in London.
19 March 2024 - Footage of William and Kate leaving the Windsor Farm Shop is shared by The Sun and TMZ in the first video sighting of the Princess since surgery.
22 March 2024 - Princess Kate confirms that she has been diagnosed with cancer in a moving video message and is undergoing preventative chemotherapy.
18 April 2024 - Prince William returns to royal duties after spending Easter holidays privately as a family.
10 May 2024 - Prince William says Kate is "doing well" as he visits the Isles of Scilly.
21 May 2024 - Princess Kate is "excited" as Kensington Palace shares update on her early years work with the release of her Business Taskforce's prioritising childhood report.
8 June 2024 - Princess Kate writes letter to Irish Guards to apologise for not being able to take part in the salute at the Colonel's Review.
14 June 2024 - In a personal statement, Kate shares she is making "good progress" and that her "treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months".
15 June 2024 - Kate makes her first major public appearance since diagnosis at Trooping the Colour.
14 July 2024 - Kate watches the Men's final at Wimbledon with Princess Charlotte and Pippa Matthews.
11 August 2024 - William and Kate congratulate Team GB athletes in a video message after the Paris 2024 Olympics.
9 September 2024 - Kate confirms she's completed chemotherapy in moving video message.
10 October 2024 - Kate joins William on visit to bereaved families in Southport.
9/10 November 2024 - Princess attends Festival of Remembrance and Remembrance Day service at Cenotaph.
3 December 2024 - Kate greets Emir of Qatar alongside William during state visit.
6 December 2024 - The Princess of Wales hosts her Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey.
25 December 2024 - William and Kate attend the Christmas Day church service in Sandringham with the royals.
14 January 2025 - The Princess confirms she's in remission after visiting The Royal Marsden hospital in London - where she was treated.
LISTEN: The royal family's year in review
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