Catherine, Princess of Wales may occasionally attend royal events as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy, palace sources say nearly a week after the royal went public with her cancer diagnosis.
Whether Kate Middleton, 42, will make an appearance at any such events will depend on how well she’s feeling, said Ailsa Anderson, a former spokeswoman for Queen Elizabeth.
“She has the inner strength, the support of her husband and her extraordinary family, so she can focus on what’s important, which is her getting back to strength,” Anderson told People.
Noting that the British monarchy “is vulnerable at the moment” — King Charles III was also diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, following a hospital stay that overlapped with that of his daughter-in-law’s — a former palace aide said people will have “an even greater appreciation that they are human beings with frailties like the rest of us.”
“They are so dedicated to their roles,” said the insider. “I think you will find when Kate makes a full recovery, she will come back even more passionate.”
In a somber video shared last Friday, Kate announced cancer was found after she underwent abdominal surgery in January and that, heeding medical advice, she decided to undergo preventative chemotherapy.
A palace insider also told People that Kate “wanted to personally deliver the message on her own.”
Prince William, the source said, “is extremely proud of his wife for the courage and strength she has shown not just this week but since her surgery.”
Kensington Palace first announced the surgery in mid-January, noting at the time that the princess would likely be out of the public eye until after Easter. But that didn’t stop the internet from speculating that something else was at play. The conjecture ramped up when the palace released an altered image of Middleton that news outlets quickly pulled.
The princess explained in her video announcement that the family had remained mum on her condition in order to take the time to explain the situation to the three young kids she shares with Prince William — George, 10; Charlotte, 8; and Louis, 5 — “in a way that is appropriate for them.”
“She and the prince needed time to process the news, she needed time to recover from surgery and she needed time to tell the children,” the palace insider said, adding “that was the driving force” for when and how she announced the news to the world.