Some eight months after revealing her cancer diagnosis, Kate Middleton is poised to take on her busiest royal week of the year so far, marking a sign of significant progress in her ongoing recovery.
The Princess of Wales is scheduled to join Prince William on Tuesday to kick off a two-day state visit from the Emir of Qatar and his wife. The prince and princess are expected to greet the royals in the morning, then travel to Horse Guards Parade for the ceremonial welcome.
From there, they’ll be joined by King Charles and Queen Camilla for a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace, where lunch will be served alongside a cultural exhibit.
Then on Friday at Westminster Abbey, the 42-year-old princess is slated to host her Christmas carol concert, “Together at Christmas,” just as she’s done since 2021. The service will later air as part of a special Christmas Eve program on British TV.
This year’s concert takes its inspiration from the Christmas story, “which encourages us to consider the experiences of others and the important human need of giving and receiving empathy,” a palace spokesperson told ABC.
Among those invited to the holiday event are the survivors of a grisly knife attack carried out during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July. More than 25 children between the ages of 6 and 11 were inside the Hart Space Studio, located in the Merseyside town of Southport, when a 17-year-old burst through the door and attacked.
In total, three children were killed and nine others wounded.
Kate’s participation in the upcoming events suggests she’s been gaining strength since she announced she would slowly resume her royal duties after months of staying out of the public eye. A royal source told CNN the upcoming appearances are definitely a sign of “good news.”
The Princess of Wales revealed in March she’d been diagnosed with cancer after a planned abdominal surgery in January.
“The surgery was successful,” she said in a video shared on social media. “However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.”
A message from Catherine, The Princess of Wales
As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment.
The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an… pic.twitter.com/9S1W8sDHUL
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) September 9, 2024
Kate announced in September she had completed her chemotherapy, but emphasized she still had a lot of recovering left to do.
“As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment,” Kate said in a video. “The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown.”