The past year has arguably been the most trying period for the Princess of Wales, who faced a harrowing cancer diagnosis following abdominal surgery in January last year.
Describing the ensuing 12 months as ‘brutal,’ Prince William bore witness to the struggles encountered by Kate and the wider family.
Adding to their ordeal, King Charles was struck with his own cancer battle, prompting Prince William to step in and support his cherished wife and father during these trying times. However, it was Kate’s resilience that shone through, enduring six months of preventative chemotherapy and demonstrating her essential role within the Royal Family.
Operating from the privacy of her Windsor estate home, Kate steered her children—Prince George, 11; Princess Charlotte, 9; and Prince Louis at 6—through the upheaval of illness in the family, maintaining stability for her young ones.
Today, on her 43rd birthday, she exemplifies her family-oriented nature by placing them at the forefront of her celebrations.
Yet, Jennie Bond, the former BBC Royal correspondent, speculates that there might still be some unexpected joys lined up for her from Prince William and other members of the Royal Family.
Bond says: “Her birthday is on a school day, so life will be the usual hectic round of getting everyone up and ready, with school bags packed. But maybe William will find time to give Catherine breakfast in bed before he looks after the kids and the school run. A rose on the breakfast tray and some luxury bath products would not go amiss.
“I expect she might want to see her parents on her birthday too as they have been such a key part of her recovery. I’m sure something very special will be winging its way towards her from the King for her birthday too. If he needed some help in choosing a gift, I’m sure Camilla would have been only too happy to help. She, too, is undoubtedly full of admiration for Catherine. I expect there will be a video call to wish her a happy birthday and to see the children making a fuss of her.”
Her birthday today coincides with the state funeral of former US president Jimmy Carter. In an unusual move, it will be William’s uncle Prince Edward who will represent Charles in Washington DC, not the heir to the throne.
As the princess continues her recovery and returns to Royal duties, Jennie believes William will need to take on more responsibilities.
She added: “I imagine that one consolation for the brutal year they’ve had is that they’ve had so much more time for family life. It’s probably going to be quite a sacrifice to re-balance things and resume full time royal work.
“There’s definitely more pressure on William to step up his workload – especially as the King continues his cancer treatment. And we shall clearly be seeing more of him at numerous events. But I think he will endeavour to keep trips away from home as short as possible. The days of lengthy Royal tours abroad may now be over.”
When Kate made a public appearance on Christmas Day for the traditional royal walk to church, she captivated onlookers as they clamoured for her attention, showering her with flowers and gifts. Notwithstanding this successful outing, it’s expected that the princess will gradually return to her royal duties, prioritising her children and health.
Commentator Jennie notes there’s no question about Kate’s key role in the future of the monarchy: “She and William are way ahead in the popularity stakes, according to polls, and as we saw on Christmas Day at Sandringham, Catherine is the one who draws the biggest crowds. Everyone wants to see her, to talk to her, to photograph her.”
Jennie also drew comparisons between King Charles’s past personal stances and Kate’s present-day priorities: “I think there’s an interesting parallel between the way Charles once put his own future on the line by declaring that his relationship with Camilla was ‘non-negotiable’, and the way Catherine has made it clear that, for the immediate future at least, her undisputed priorities are her family and her health.”
Highlighting her independence and strength, Jennie adds: “She has shown that she is very much in charge of her own agenda and that’s to be admired. The monarchy has often depended on strong women. like the late Queen and Princess Anne. Catherine takes her rightful place amongst those strong women, and I think both Charles and William believe she has all it takes to be Queen when the time comes.”
In September, Kate shared a deeply personal video update on her health journey, revealing that she had completed her chemotherapy treatment but acknowledged that her “path to healing and full recovery is long”. The video was accompanied by stylised footage of the Wales family enjoying outdoor activities.
During the Remembrance weekend in November, she made an appearance at the Royal Albert Hall Festival of Remembrance and at the Cenotaph, where the Duchess of Edinburgh offered a comforting hand on Kate’s back in a show of support. In December, the princess joined the King and William on Horse Guards Parade to welcome the Emir of Qatar to the UK during a state visit, marking another step towards resuming her public duties.
She spread festive cheer with her annual carol concert in Westminster Abbey, where she was joined by William, their children, other royals, and celebrities such as Paloma Faith and Richard E Grant. Kate spoke to Faith about the “challenging times” and expressed that she hadn’t anticipated what the past year would bring.
The princess planned the service with assistance from Lady Gabriella Windsor, after inviting the recently-widowed Ella, whose husband, Thomas Kingston, took his own life in February, to contribute.
Louis penned a heartfelt note on a “kindness tree” dedicated to his Middleton grandparents saying: “Thank you to granny and grandpa because they have played games with me.”
Born to Carole and Michael Middleton on January 9 1982, Catherine Elizabeth Middleton spent her childhood in Berkshire alongside her siblings Pippa Matthews and James Middleton. It was at St Andrews University studying History of Art that Kate met Prince William, and they began their relationship.
William’s proposal to his one-time flatmate came during a trip to Kenya, where he cleverly hid his mother Princess Diana’s iconic sapphire and diamond engagement ring in his backpack. The couple’s royal wedding took place at Westminster Abbey in 2011, where Kate was bestowed the title Duchess of Cambridge, and became a future queen consort.
Kate looked stunning in an exquisite ivory Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen dress, while William, under the express direction of Queen Elizabeth II, donned the red tunic of the Irish Guards. Over time, the princess has discreetly evolved in her Royal duties, dedicating particular attention to mental health and early childhood years.
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