Princess Kate’s cancer diagnosis changed everything – here’s where her new priorities lie | Royal | News

It’s a video no one is going to forget in a hurry. Sat on a bench on the Windsor estate with spring blooms behind her, the Princess of Wales stared down the camera lens and said: « I have cancer and I’ve started chemotherapy. » The candid video showed Kate at her most vulnerable, anxiously wringing her hands during the two-minute and appearing close to tears.

Though her hair was perfectly curled, she wore little makeup as she said the news came as a « huge shock » and that she needed time to process it and consider the best interests of the couple’s children. Behind Palace walls, staff were reduced to tears when they were told of her diagnosis, as aides were left “deeply affected” by the news – a sentiment that was reflected in the public outpouring of love and support when it had been made public.

A year on from the shock announcement, and a lot has changed.

The princess is now in remission, having concluded her cancer treatment at the end of the summer.

In January she made an emotional return to the hospital where she received treatment and said afterwards: “It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focussed on recovery. As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support.”

This year Kate has resumed public royal engagements, though continues to do so gradually.

“People will be expecting to see her perform a lot more duties now, but no one will want her to rush back,” says veteran royal author and journalist Phil Dampier.

So far this year, she has conducted 12 official visits, split equally between solo appearances and joint engagements with her husband. The princess attended staple diary events such as the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey and the Irish Guards’ St Patrick’s Day parade, which she was sad to miss last year.

It’s a sign that while she’s taking things slow, she’s committed to the job and wants to support the king at high-profile engagements.

The Prince of Wales has already returned to business as normal, having just returned from a two-day trip to Estonia, which has been hailed as his most important visit yet, given the global political context of the war in Ukraine.

While he focuses on work, he outwardly appears more relaxed now his wife has been given the all-clear.

He’s kept the summer beard and is fully embracing the public as handshakes have become hugs and photos become selfies.

“Wiliam looks like he’s had a massive weight lifted off his shoulders,” says Mr Dampier. “He looked extremely concerned a year ago but now he seems much more relaxed, much happier and I’m sure that is down to his wife being better and he knows that she has turned a corner.”

But while on the outside the couple appear to be returning to some form of normality, much has changed for the future king and queen.

They’re more protective of their children, especially as their eldest, Prince George, 11, is becoming more aware of his position and the important job that looms.

Kate and William are keen for their children to enjoy as ordinary upbringing as possible, encouraging them to join sports teams and try out new hobbies. Charlotte, nine, loves ballet and all things dancing, while George and Louis enjoy playing in their school football teams.

Mr Dampier says one thing that was clear in the video revealing her cancer diagnosis was that the couple wanted to protect their children.

This was a huge factor in why the announcement was made on Friday, March 22, last year. It marked the end of Lambrook’s school term, so any potentially upsetting questions by classmates would have been mitigated.

The expert said: “Her main priority was to say that it was important that her children knew that she was going to be all right. And I’m sure that her priority while she was getting better has been looking after the children and making sure that they are coping as well as she has.”

While it was an extremely worrying time for the princess it is understood that spending more time with George, Charlotte and Louis at home helped her to stay positive.

Family has always come first, and the couple has long ensured that their duties do not clash with the school holidays so that they can spend some quality time together away from the public eye.

This approach has only become more important for the prince and princess since the brutal events of last year, and I’m told that they want to cherish these moments while they can.

“Their children have always been their world, but last year put a renewed focus on family time,” a source said.

William and Kate remain committed to the job and continue to balance both demands – but the events of last year have hardened the Wales’s family-first approach.

Next week they will retreat for the Easter holidays, as their three children break up from school on Friday.

The prince and princess will continue to juggle duty with the demands of raising a young family, and are steadfast in their support for the king and the crown. But as William told reporters during his trip to Cape Town last November, he will be doing things differently.

He won’t be attending engagements for the sake of it, he wants the job to have purpose and meaning, which is why he focuses so much of his time on a chosen number of issues: the environment, homelessness, mental health and the Armed Forces.

His wife has taken a similar approach with her main areas of early childhood, children’s mental health, sport and the arts.

Kate’s illness has given both her and her husband a new perspective on life, and it’s clear they are now much happier and relaxed after the unimaginably difficult events of last year.

In the months that follow, we can expect more of the same from the princess as there is no expectation for her to return to a full-time schedule.

She’ll support the King at key events, with the family-of-five are expected to attend the Easter Sunday Service at Windsor Castle next month, and focus on her key issues both in public and behind the scenes.

But one thing is certain, the beloved Wales power couple are stronger than ever before and they’re firmly focused on the future.