Kate Middleton still has a little ways to go before she’s fully “back to normal,” her close friend claims.
The Princess of Wales, 42, has faced a challenging year health-wise after having to undergo chemotherapy following her cancer diagnosis in March.
Since announcing in September that she’s cancer free, the beloved royal has been making a gradual return to public-facing duties.
“She is focused on herself and her family right now, rightly,” a palace source told People, adding that the princess is “not back to normal” just yet.
Still, despite not feeling 100% at this time, there’s “light at the end of the tunnel,” the insider adds.
“She has to get back on top of it. And she will if she is left alone to work it out for herself,” a second source told the outlet. “She won’t be going back to work in the same way for a long time.”
Understandably, Princess Catherine has spent much of 2024 behind closed doors as she prioritized treatment and recovery.
Her absence from the public eye prompted mass speculation about her whereabouts earlier this year, all of which were silenced with news of her cancer diagnosis.
As she continues to be on the mend, the princess is reportedly “looking better and better,” according to Queen Elizabeth’s former press secretary Ailsa Anderson.
What’s more, the royal’s friends claim that the mom of three has shifted her approach to her work life.
“She is very much in control of her return to public life. She is doing what works best for her,” royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told the outlet.
Meanwhile, an insider added that she and Prince William have “made it clear that family is the most important thing.”
“You can’t go through something like that and come out the other side unchanged. She is a different person now,” the source said.
The Post has reached out to Kensington Palace for comment.
Indeed, it’s been reported this week that Middleton and her husband have begun preparing for William’s ascension to the throne.
“Although the king is carrying out his duties with typical determination, he has had to accept limitations during his cancer treatment,” Bedell Smith told the outlet.
“As a result William has been taking on more responsibilities, and he and Kate have been preparing for their future roles sooner than they would have expected.”
“There’s a sense of calm before the storm,” she went on. “They are next in line for the biggest job of their lives, and of course, Kate’s health has taken priority, but it’s also allowed everyone to take a step back and figure out what’s important right now.”
Last month, palace insiders claimed that royal staffers began drawing up succession plans after the king’s coronation in May 2023.
