There is a sense of doubling down on a long-held resolve to protect and prioritize family.
On this day last year, after weeks of hysterical social media speculation about her whereabouts, the Princess of Wales shocked the world. Using the unprecedented method of a video message to reveal information about her personal health, she sat on a bench and told us all directly that she had been diagnosed with cancer. Emotional but dignified, she delivered the news alone and announced she would be taking time away from the spotlight complete her chemotherapy treatment.
One year on from that moment in royal history and the Princess is in a very different place. Since the start of this year, she has carried out a steady stream of public engagements, averaging around three per month. Her return to work continues to be gradual but, as People Magazine put it on their latest cover, she has now “reclaimed” her public role.
“I don’t think in their wildest dreams the Prince and Princess could have imagined they would be in such a good place a year on from such a terrible time,” says journalist Emily Andrews, who has been covering the royals for more than 10 years. “It was a really, really hard time. I think it made them question pretty much everything.”
Indeed, while much looks familiar about the Princess’s return to working life, such as her appearance at staple annual events like the Commonwealth Day service or the St. Patrick’s Day parade, it’s also clear that her diagnosis generated a fundamental shift. She described it herself in her video about finishing chemotherapy as “a new perspective on everything.”
One way in which a change in approach has shown up is via social media posts. A mainstay of their communication machine, Kensington Palace’s Instagram and X accounts have taken on a noticeably more intimate tone since this time last year. Emotional personal posts—signed with a W or a C—have been used to mark moments like birthdays or father’s day, sometimes along with new images. The video that Kate released last September was astonishing in its level of intimacy.
At the same time, however, there is a sense of a doubling down on the long-held resolve to protect and prioritize their private family time. “She’s always put family first I think, but the message is it’s going to be even more so now,” longtime Royal Correspondent Richard Palmer says. The couple’s days of butting heads with the media over allegations of intrusion, especially when it comes to their children, are far from over.
After a 2024 that William described as probably the hardest year of his life, there are signs that in 2025 the couple has allowed themselves to relax. A skiing holiday at New Year was followed by a February trip to Mustique. In January, William took a fleeting solo visit to Monaco to enjoy a football game with his friends.
Kate has been on a long journey since marrying William in 2011, and this latest chapter has seen her navigate the demands of the spotlight like never before. “I think initially she was someone who did care a lot about what other people thought and about what her public image was. I think now she has much more self-confidence in her belief about what’s right for her and not feeling the weight of public expectation so much,” says Emily Andrews.
What the Princess has always had, however, is a measured approach and long-term view. She didn’t rush into making decisions about what charity work or causes she wanted to take on when she married into the royal family, working a lot behind the scenes to establish understanding first. She and William enjoyed many years as part-time royals living in Anglesey and Norfolk before settling in London. Now, they have made Windsor their base because it is what they believe will be best for their children as they grow older.
Yet even in the depths of her diagnosis and treatment, Kate’s tone has always remained mindful of her responsibility to her position. Last March, she referenced the “deep sense of joy” her work gives her and in September she said she was “looking forward to being back” to public engagements. Both messages were essentially pleas for more space, more time. But she was sure to leave no-one in any doubt over her long-term commitment to her role.
“I don’t sense there is any pressure on her to up the number of engagements she does at the moment from within the royal household because they’ll want her to feel comfortable,” Richard Palmer says about Kate’s gradual return. Emily Andrews agrees, “When they become King and Queen they’re really going to have to step up then. I think that’s why partly they are prioritizing really focusing on their family.”
