Princess Kate Middleton continues to face a challenging new chapter with her cancer diagnosis, setting her royal commitments on a different trajectory compared to King Charles. Since her medical condition was made public in March this year, she has notably taken a step back from the public eye, with her last appearance being on Christmas Day.
As the Princess of Wales announced, she is undergoing “preventative chemotherapy,” and therefore, hasn’t been able to participate in non-essential royal duties during her recovery. About this, a Daily Mail source revealed “No one wants to put any pressure on Catherine. the only thing that matters at the moment is her getting better. She has been through an ordeal this year.”
Kate Middleton announces she has cancer and is undergoing treatment.
— Pop Base (@PopBase) March 22, 2024
For example, the Princess of Wales missed the “The Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood” event, where a report from the taskforce stated that £45.5 billion in value could be added to the UK’s national economy. Despite her non-attendance, executive director, Christian Guy,  mentioned her while sharing the report.
Today, The Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood is delighted to announce the publication of a report setting out the business case for prioritising early childhood. https://t.co/fWo4ANLUlE#CaseforEarlyChildhood pic.twitter.com/tKbZ2nBLJg
— The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood (@Earlychildhood) May 21, 2024
This contrasts with King Charles, who has been slowly getting back into the royal spotlight. The monarch has been recently attending more events and has a packed schedule (which has been readjusted to the UK’s National Election). For instance, he is set to meet the Emperor and Empress of Japan and will also travel to France on June 6 to commemorate the D-Day landings.
As the palace source noted, “As Sovereign, His Majesty is in a very different position from the Princess of Wales. There is no need for her to be seen while she’s recovering.” Thanks to this approach, Kate Middleton will get to have the necessary time and space to focus on her health, without the weight of public appearances or additional commitments.