On January 14, Princess Kate Middleton reached a major milestone with her emotional return to London’s Royal Marsden Hospital, where she was treated for cancer last year. The surprise (and very personal) visit marked her first solo public engagement in a year, signaling that she’s back on the radar as an active royal after completing a grueling series of chemotherapy treatments last September.
Entering through the main lobby door — instead of slipping unseen through the back, as she did as a patient — the beaming princess, dressed in a plaid Blazé Milano coat and her signature high heels, was greeted by applause from staff and misty-eyed appreciation from patients still battling the brutal disease. Kate’s warmth and flair for genuine connection were palpable as she worked her way through the facility, offering empathy and encouragement in a scene reminiscent of her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana. Indeed, since her battle with an undisclosed type of cancer, soft-spoken Kate, 43, has become Britain’s most revered royal, earning a 66 percent approval rating in a September 2024 poll.
But adoration also breeds expectations. And now that Kate is in remission, jubilant news she also announced on January 14, the pressure is on for more face time with the public. “All eyes are on Kate for when she returns to work,” a source tells Us Weekly in the latest cover story. And that could become stressful. “Part of the issue is she’s so popular and gets so much attention. It’s like any royal event she attends has a halo around it and goes well, so the public wants as much of her as possible.”
Under a Microscope
The palace may also be keen for more Kate time for strategic reasons: Her star power is a publicity bonanza for the embattled sovereign family, which is still reeling from Queen Elizabeth II’s 2022 death, the defection of Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, to California and the taint of Prince Andrew’s connection with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
There’s also the shadow of uncertainty over King Charles’ health. His shocking cancer diagnosis in February 2024 cast a new sense of urgency on William, 42, and Kate, the reigning monarchs-in-waiting. “Knowing that Catherine is available, supporting William and also supporting the monarchy, is, I think, really important to him right now,” royals expert Ed Owens tells Us of Charles, 76. “He knows the institution is only as strong as the personalities that front it.”
According to royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, the massive focus on Kate could be a two-edged sword. “There’s enormous support and public sympathy for Catherine,” he notes. “However, nothing alters the pressure in the ‘royal goldfish bowl’ of the world’s most high-profile monarchy.” Still, royal expert Christopher Andersen tells Us Kate has “a will of steel, and the palace knows it. So they are wisely sitting back and letting her determine when and how and at what pace she is returning to public life.”
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While some insiders fear that Kate may be too quick to jump back into the royal fray, she appears to be using trademark good judgment and taking things slow so as not to jeopardize her ongoing recovery. (A second source agrees her return is gradual and that the princess isn’t feeling “under pressure.”) In a January Instagram post, she wrote candidly, “As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal.” An insider tells Us Kate will be doing more work remotely: “[She’ll] be incorporating more technology into what she is doing so she doesn’t have to be there in person.”
However, Kate is “not a person who likes to sit on her hands,” royal historian Marlene Koenig tells Us. “She’s shown such grace. Even in her illness, she recognized the responsibility of her privilege and did what she could, whether it was just a word of comfort or a message or speaking to people involved with her different charities.”
Family Matters
Privately, it’s been William and their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, who’ve sustained Kate throughout her ordeal. And concern for their well-being has been the driving force behind many of her crucial decisions. According to Robert Hardman, author of The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, “Family was one of the reasons she didn’t announce her illness until relatively late in the day [March 22, 2024]. It was the last day of school term, and they were keeping things normal for the children,” he tells Us. “The priority was not her public image; the priority was her family.”
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Now, as calls for her presence ramp up, Kate’s dedication to her loved ones is again taking precedence. At Adelaide Cottage, the tranquil four-bedroom home in Windsor where she and William moved in 2022 to escape the chaos of London, she’s settled into a steady post-crisis routine. “They’re spending this time to give their three children a foundation of stability for when they’re far more on the public stage,” says Koenig. “They will have responsibilities that they don’t have now.”
As she prepares to step into the role of queen one day, Kate also relies on her husband to keep her best interests at heart. “William has always been fiercely protective of [Kate], and if anyone is going to slow her down, it’s going to be William telling her to take it easy,” notes Koenig. “He knows it’s a marathon, not a sprint. And the longevity of her role as the Princess of Wales is most important.”
What’s Ahead
In the coming months, look for Kate to become more visible while still taking it easy. “She’s now more aware of her own mortality, and that’s made her less likely to push herself in ways that might damage her health,” says Andersen. “Kate is painfully aware that you have to be ready to take on some heavy responsibilities as queen once the time comes.” Meanwhile, adds Koenig, “Just give her time. We all want to see her! She makes people smile.”
For more on Kate, watch the exclusive video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly – on newsstands now.
With reporting by Mikhaila Friel
