ROYALSKate Middleton 'Is a Different Person Now' After 'Tough' Cancer Battle
Kate Middleton took several months off to focus on her health.
Kate Middleton spent most of the year battling cancer, but the Princess of Wales is slowly returning to royal duties after months of living under the radar.
Kate Middleton returned to royal duties during Trooping the Colour in June.
“You can’t go through something like that and come out the other side unchanged,” an insider told an outlet. “She is a different person now.”
“She is focused on herself and her family right now, rightly,” a source close to the palace added.
Kate returned to the spotlight in June for Trooping the Colour, but she continues to be selective with which engagements she attends.
According to Queen Elizabeth’s former press secretary Ailsa Anderson, the mom-of-three has “not fully recovered,” but “each time we see her, she’s looking better and better.”
Kate Middleton isn't expected to rush back into royal duties.
The Princess of Wales was recently spotted at the royal family's annual Together at Christmas concert, but she's been noticeably absent during other official gatherings.
“She will probably continue to be strategic about how often she appears in public, and people shouldn’t hold it against her if she is doing less next year,” royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith explained. “The important thing is she will be pacing herself. She will do what she’s able to do and pursue things she feels passionate about.”
“She is a member of the royal family but also a wife, mother and daughter. Don’t expect too much — she’s a person going through something horrific," Andersen noted.
Kate returned to social media in September to reveal she completed chemotherapy.
“They can’t raise people’s expectations with lots of engagements only for her to face a setback, not feel well, and things are canceled,” Anderson shared. “The strategy of an unexpected visit gives her flexibility. She doesn’t have the pressure of feeling she has to turn up."
A source claimed Kate Middleton won't return to her role 'for a long time.'
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Before her diagnosis, Kate was often praised for her commitment to the monarchy, but her team will continue to be considerate of her well-being.
“She won’t be going back to work in the same way for a long time," a source revealed.
Throughout her challenges, Kate and Prince William put their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, first.
“She is very much in control of her return to public life. She is doing what works best for her,” Bedell Smith stated.
“Life-threatening illnesses bring a reconsideration of priorities," a source noted. "She and William have always made it clear that family is the most important thing.”
Kate Middleton and Prince William prioritized their three kids, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, as she battled cancer.
During the royal family's caroling service, Kate was supported by her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, and her siblings, Pippa and James Middleton.
“It was a window into the support network she has around her and how family has gotten her through. It showed the strength of the unit,” a royal insider said.
“There’s a sense of calm before the storm,” an insider says. “They are next in line for the biggest job of their lives, and of course, Kate’s health has taken priority, but it’s also allowed everyone to take a step back and figure out what’s important right now.”
In her September health update, Kate was honest about the toll her diagnosis had on her.
"The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you," the future queen shared. "With humility, it also brings you face to face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before, and with that, a new perspective on everything."
Experts and sources spoke to People.
