After Kate Middleton spent most of 2024 undergoing treatment for cancer, it’s understandable that she would be changed forever. After all, she’s said more than once that it’s been a life-changing experience, and according to one royal expert, the way those changes have manifested became especially obvious during her latest royal engagement, which took place last week.
During a visit to Colchester Hospital in Essex on Wednesday, Kate spoke candidly about what it’s like creating a new normal after completing treatment, admitting that it hasn’t been what she expected it would be like.
“You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment. Treatment’s done, then it’s like, ‘I can crack on, get back to normal,’ but actually, the phase afterwards is really, really difficult,” she said during the visit.
As The Mirror reported, royal expert Roya Nikkah said on the Talking Royals podcast that a royal rota reporter noticed a marked change in Kate at the event: Regardless of what else was going on (including bad weather), Kate made connecting genuinely with people the goal of her visit.
“The rota reporter said Kate was just taking as much time as she needed with everyone, she made sure she spoke to everyone, she didn’t mind the rain bedding down the roses, and the rain and her hair being ruined, she was just happy to be there and happy to be able to emphasize and speak candidly with other cancer patients,” she said on the podcast.
Another expert, former royal correspondent Jennie Bond, told The Mirror it’s clear that Kate’s experience with cancer has “shaken her to the core,” so of course she’s changing the way she interacts with people accordingly.
“On her recent public appearances she has looked so poised, so happy and so confident – but now she is asking us to understand that, beneath the brave face, she is sometimes still struggling,” Jennie said. “I think everyone will feel immense sympathy for her and admiration for the way she has decided to shine a light on the long process of recovering from cancer.”
It’s not always like the royals to speak so openly about something incredibly personal, but Kate is breaking the mold.
“The Princess has chosen to speak candidly and emotionally about all that she has endured, and is still, going through,” Jennie added, per The Mirror. “This is a break with royal convention, but her words have a reach and an impact that virtually no other cancer survivor could match. I think it’s incredibly refreshing for us to be told exactly what is happening and how Catherine is feeling.”
