Inside Kate Middleton's "Extra Special" Mother's Day Celebrations With Prince William and Family

After navigating what has been one of the most challenging periods of her life, Princess Kate certainly deserved a day of simple pleasures as the Royal Family celebrated Mother's Day on Sunday, March 30. With Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte on a school break at the moment, the family has plenty of time to relax and rejuvenate—and one royal expert noted how this year will be even more "special" after Kate has fought cancer.

The Princess of Wales announced her cancer diagnosis just after Mothering Sunday in the U.K. last March, but prior to that, she was faced with even more stress due to a photo editing controversy related to her 2024 Mother's Day photo. The princess—who had been out of the public eye since Christmas 2023 due to a planned abdominal surgery, and later, her cancer news—shared a photo of herself with her three children to mark the holiday. But after fans noticed several elements of the photo had been edited, news agencies pulled the photo and she was forced to issue an apology.

This year, the Wales family did things a bit differently, with Princess Kate posting a message about Mother Nature versus releasing a private family photo—no doubt due to the backlash from last year's Mother's Day photo incident.

As for their celebrations, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told the Mirror that the prince and princess typically head to their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall, during the spring school holiday. "And if they are there, I'm sure the day will be filled with as much outdoor activity as possible: walks and games, cycle rides and picnics," she said.

The family is known to enjoy outdoor activities together—and perhaps Prince Louis captured some of the moments on film like he did when he snapped a photo of mom Kate for World Cancer Day.

"There's no doubt that every milestone is extra special for the Prince and Princess and their family as they move further from the day she was diagnosed with cancer," Bond added. "This Mother’s Day is one they can wholeheartedly celebrate as Catherine continues her recovery—looking radiant and back to her vibrant self."

The royal commentator continued that "William thinks his wife has been amazing in the past year, and I’m sure he’ll want to let her know that she’s a fantastic mum."

When it comes to the Princess of Wales's own mother, Carole Middleton, Bond said, "Of course Catherine will also want to use the day to thank her own mother for all that she has done during the past year."

Whether Carole and Michael Middleton joined the family for their time off is unclear, but as Bond noted, "Whatever the case, it's certain that everyone will want to make a fuss of Catherine, and Catherine will want to make a fuss of her mother, who has been so important in helping her recover."