It’s slow and steady for Kate Middleton. The Princess of Wales is reportedly taking her time getting back to royal duties as she tries to find the right work-life “balance” in the wake of cancer treatment. Although there are ‘months’ to go before Kate’s anywhere close to her previous schedule, the royal family’s reportedly optimistic.
Kate Middleton has ‘months’ to go before resuming a ‘full-time schedule’
Kate’s not going back to work quite yet. An “insider” told Us Weekly that while Kate’s eager to return to her official duties it’s not full-speed ahead. “She loves the work, but it can be tiring,” the insider said.
“Kate has been [doing this] for some time but is not yet back to full strength,” Christopher Andersen, a royal expert and author, told the outlet. “It will be some time—certainly months—before we see her plunge headlong into a full-time schedule.”
Another insider noted Kate’s team has “scaled things back in terms of not having her travel too much too soon.” Within the royal family, there’s a “sense of practical optimism” about Kate’s health, royal author Robert Hardman said. But Kate’s not quite back to work. “Kate is certainly conscious that she mustn’t overstress herself,” he said.
Kate’s trying to find the right ‘balance’ between royal ‘duties’ and ‘personal well-being’
Now Kate’s trying to find her new normal, specifically how to balance her work with her health. “Kate loves reconnecting with the community and representing her family,” an “insider” told the publication. “But she’s also trying to find a balance between her duties and personal well-being.”
The mother of three’s goal, the insider claimed, is to stay relaxed. “She appreciates the sense of purpose but wants to ensure her stress levels don’t get [too high],” they said. While Kate’s recovery continues, Andersen noted the 42-year-old is making steady progress.
“Kate has a lot more energy than she did even a few weeks ago,” they added. “She’s tremendously relieved that the treatments seem to have worked and she can call herself cancer-free. But she’s not taking anything for granted. She’s following doctor’s orders…[It’s] baby steps.”
Prince William’s trip to South Africa suggests Kate’s doing better
Prince William traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, for the Earthshot Prize Awards on Nov. 6, 2024. The fact that he made the trip suggests Kate’s health is improving, according to royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams.
“Prince William…has made it clear his family, their well-being, and their privacy come first,” Fitzwilliams said ahead of the ceremony. “Catherine has been undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer, as she has so movingly told us. And though she has finished chemotherapy, she has said she still has a long way to go.”
The future king, the expert argued, wouldn’t have even considered embarking on a trip so far away if Kate weren’t doing well. “William would undoubtedly not be going to South Africa, even though the trip is for the fourth Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony, if he did not feel that she was doing well and was happy coping with the family in his absence,” he said.
“The Prize is his brainchild,” Fitzwilliams added. “But we know that they are a devoted couple and what his priorities are, and that he feels able to go is another encouraging sign that she is doing well.”
In early October 2024, Kate joined William for a surprise appearance in Southport, England. Since then she hasn’t made any public appearances. However, she could be stepping out publicly soon, attending the royal family’s Remembrance Day ceremony on Nov. 10, 2024.
