A Right Royal Podcast is back this week with Andrea Caamano and Emmy Griffiths, who welcome back royal editor Emily Nash from a fun day at Ascot with her fellow royal reporter colleagues - including this week’s guest, The Telegraph's Hannah Furness.
The duo were in for a shock on Wednesday when, during their time at the popular races, they found out that the Princess of Wales had pulled out of attending.
Speaking about the surprise absence, Emily and Hannah explained that despite a "moment of consternation," it was a good opportunity to remember that the Princess is still trying to find "balance" while in remission from cancer.
Hannah went on to describe the initial excitement: everyone was thrilled to learn the Princess of Wales would be attending. But that joy was short-lived, as shortly after, they heard she would not be attending and was "disappointed" not to be there.
On Kate's last-minute change of plans, Hannah reassures listeners: "I don't think we should be overly worried."
She adds: "What I do think is that this is actually quite a good moment for people like us and royal fans to stop and remember actually where she is, because this time last year, she wasn't able to do any of this.
© Max Mumby"So the fact that we now expect her to be at these events and that some people seem a little bit put out that she hasn't made it at the last minute, it is a bit of a moment, I think, to stop and remember how far she's come, how hard she's worked to get back in the public eye."
Hannah continues: “Everybody we speak to at the palace really emphasises, don't they? That this is about balance, it's about a sensible, safe, careful return to work."
© WireImage"And," she concludes, "She has a long working life ahead of her in the royal family, and everybody around her, especially Prince William, are very, very mindful of having to pace herself to make sure she's fit and well to do it."
Elsewhere in the episode, the team discusses Trooping the Colour and whether the balcony should revert to including extended family members, Garter Day and why Prince William is not the biggest fan of the event, and we cross the pond for an update on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
