Kate Middleton’s unexpected year filled with health challenges has also changed the face of the royal family. The Princess of Wales is a big draw anytime she makes an appearance, so the palace has had to get creative with focusing more on Prince William, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and even King Charles III’s social calendar. Royal fans might be looking forward to the moment Kate feels strong enough to return to her regular schedule, but insiders are claiming that a lighter workload is the new normal for her.
A palace source explained to The Daily Beast that Kate’s “brush with mortality” during her cancer battle has changed her outlook. She’s more interested in focusing on her three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, than returning to a robust workload filled with patronages and ribbon-cutting ceremonies. While there is “lots of optimism” and “lots of positivity” surrounding her long-term recovery, there is “no sense that Kate was expected to be back on duty for the traditionally busy period of royal engagements that kicks off in the first week of September and runs through to Christmas.”
That’s when the royal insider shared what they believe to be Kate’s future within the royal family. “There is still nothing in her diary. My understanding is that people are going to have to get used to seeing a lot less of Kate. The priority for her now is going to be family and the children. The youngest of those kids, Louis, is only 6,” they said. “Like a lot of people who have a brush with mortality, Kate is going to prioritize the things that matter to her from now on. In her case, that means her kids.”
This sentiment aligns with Prince William’s idea of how patronages should work when he’s on the throne. In November 2023, he ruffled a few feathers during his Singapore tour about narrowing his focus to “social leadership” instead of the hundreds of patronages the royals usually take on. “You have to remain focused, if you spread yourself too thin you just can’t manage it and you won’t deliver the impact or the change that you really want to happen,” he told the print media, via Roya Nikkhah, Royal Editor of The Sunday Times on X.
The royal pivot might resurface the work ethic criticism against William and Kate, but, understandably, her life perspective shifted after her cancer diagnosis. There are still rumors that she and William might make an Olympics appearance over the next few days, so that’s worth keeping an eye on. Otherwise, the Princess of Wales is doing her royal duties on her terms.
Before you go, click here to see our favorite Kate Middleton mommy moments!
