Inside Princess Kate’s mindful return to royal duties on her own terms – exclusive

She has resolved to focus on her wellbeing and “take each day as it comes” as she makes a gradual return to royal duties after her treatment for cancer.

And last week, the Princess of Wales decided to put her recovery first as she cancelled plans to attend Royal Ascot. Kate, 43, had been due to join her husband the Prince of Wales and other senior royals in the traditional carriage procession as the royal family gathered at the Berkshire racecourse on the second day of the event on Wednesday.

The annual meeting is a highlight of the royals’ summer calendar, and the Princess, who would have been making her comeback after missing it last year, was expected to be a star attraction. But just 90 minutes before the procession began, Kensington Palace confirmed that although Prince William would be there, his wife would not be at his side after all.

Kate, whose diagnosis last year was followed by a six-month course of preventative chemotherapy, was said to be “disappointed” to miss the family get-together, which included her mother, Carole Middleton, and sister-in-law Alizee Thevenet.

But HELLO! understands that, even though her appearances have become more frequent and regular of late, she still “has to find the right balance” as she returns to public life. Kensington Palace has always made clear that the Princess is taking a careful, measured approach to her return to work.

Last September, after finishing chemotherapy, Kate said that her illness had brought a “new perspective”, adding: “My path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes.”

Knowing her limits

Despite looking healthy and happy earlier in the week at the Garter Day procession at Windsor Castle, which came hot on the heels of her appearance at Trooping the Colour, it seems that a full day out in her finery may have been a little too much for the Princess when the time came.

“Kate might be back, but she’s doing it sensibly, and on her own terms,” Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, tells HELLO!. “Her priorities have changed and she’s listening to her body, instead of being a people pleaser. She’s absolutely got to be strict with herself and say: ‘No, I can’t do this.’

“Maybe we’ve been lulled into a sense that we’ll be seeing her all the time again, because she looks so amazing. But it must be an effort to look like that when you’re not 100% full of energy.

“Ascot is more exhausting than it looks; it involves an early start, and there’s a long process of hair and make-up and getting the right outfit.

“The royals have lunch at Windsor Castle; then there is a bumpy carriage ride while the whole world is looking at you. It was a very hot day, and she probably simply didn’t feel up to it.

“I’m sure she was disappointed and really wanted to be there at William’s side,” Ingrid adds.

“She loves racing and so does her mum. But this was a social event – for fun and pleasure – rather than an official or charity engagement, so I think it was a wise decision, even though it was probably a difficult one, too.”

Kate has already had a busier year than many were expecting, with more than 20 official engagements so far. At the most recent, last Monday’s Garter procession, her close bond with the Duchess of Edinburgh was evident as they stood at St George’s Chapel and watched their husbands – dressed in the velvet mantles and feathered caps of the Order of the Garter – walk down Castle Hill towards them.

Royal bond

The Princess, in a chic white belted ensemble by Self-Portrait and matching wide-brimmed hat by Sean Barrett, was deep in conversation with Sophie, who wore a pale pink Fontaine dress by Suzannah London. The pair giggled together, showcasing their close bond.

The day also featured a lunch and a carriage ride for the royals, including the King and Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.

There was also a service attended by two former prime ministers, Sir John Major and Sir Tony Blair, along with the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, Labour’s Baroness Amos and former Olympic pentathlete Lady Mary Peters.

The previous weekend, Kate rode in another carriage at Trooping the Colour – the King’s official birthday parade – before she, William and their children appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace for the Red Arrows’ flypast.

A few days earlier, she had carried out an official engagement at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s new V&A East storehouse in London. There have also been trips further afield, such as her visit with William to the Isle of Mull in April.

But behind closed doors, Kate’s recovery has perhaps not been as straightforward as she has sometimes made it look. Her diagnosis, which she announced in March 2024, followed major abdominal surgery for an undisclosed condition.

A year ago, she admitted that she was having “good days and bad days”, adding: “I am learning how to be patient – taking each day as it comes, listening to my body and allowing myself to take this much-needed time to heal.”

Although the monarch, 76, has largely ploughed on as he continues his treatment for cancer, maintaining a packed diary at home and returning to overseas travel, Kate is taking a softer approach, with one eye on the future.

Weight of responsibility

With William in line for the top job and 11-yearold Prince George also a future King, it is more important than ever for Kate to find a balance as she prepares her elder son and his siblings Princess Charlotte, ten, and Prince Louis, seven, for the responsibilities that lie ahead.

In recent weeks, she has prioritised the children, attending events at Lambrook, near Windsor, where all three are pupils. After the school breaks up for the summer holidays next weekend, William and Kate are expected to attend the Wimbledon tennis championships before the family decamp to Anmer Hall, their house on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

A family holiday, perhaps to the Scilly Isles, is likely, before they make their annual trip north of the border to spend time with the King and Queen at Balmoral in August.

Central to Kate’s recovery has been immersing herself in nature, something she calls “a place of balance … in what is a very busy world”. Ingrid says: “She is definitely playing the long game and prioritising what is important – her family, her health and staying well.”

Pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK now. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.