The Princess of Wales had a difficult 2024, having to undergo an abdominal surgery at the start of the year as well as being diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer.
While the royal has since revealed that she is in "remission," she continues to recover from the illness and last week unexpectedly pulled out of a planned appearance at Royal Ascot. Kate was said to be disappointed at not attending the famous race meet in Berkshire on Wednesday, as she continues to find the right balance following her health battles.
However, in a new piece for the MailOnline, writer Rebecca English has hinted at how serious Kate's health conditions were last year.
© Getty ImagesAlthough not revealing the full specifics, the royal writer said: "As I have previously revealed, the princess was seriously unwell in the run-up to her surgery in the first place.
"And while that is a story only for her to tell – if she ever chooses to do so – I can say that, from what I understand, she is fortunate to even be speaking of recovery."
Kate's health in 2024
In January 2024, Kate was admitted to hospital to undergo abdominal surgery, with the royal keeping her illness a closely guarded secret. At the same time, King Charles was admitted to the same hospital to undergo treatment for an enlarged prostate; his subsequent cancer was detected at the same time.
Timeline of Princess Kate's health updates
© Getty25 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.
At the time, a royal source told The Sunday Times the Waleses have switched to "100% family first, day job second". Aides insisted that Kate would be out of sight over the next few months but was likely to continue working behind the scenes.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesHowever, two months after her surgery, Kate confirmed that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy, something she described as "really tough".
The royal spent most of the year out of the public eye, but made occasional appearances, including at Trooping the Colour and Wimbledon.
© James WhatlingIn the autumn, she revealed that she had completed her course of chemotherapy, and in a video, she described her cancer journey as "complex, scary and unpredictable".
Following the news, she made more frequent appearances, including at the state visit of the Emir of Qatar, marking Remembrance Sunday and her annual carol concert.
A year on from her initial abdominal surgery, the royal revealed that she was in remission. Returning to the Royal Marsden Hospital, where she was treated, the mother-of-three said: "It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery. As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal.
"I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support."
