Princess Kate Isn't Always "Well Enough" for Royal Duties, but She's Learning to "Pace" Herself

Kate Middleton celebrated her 43rd birthday on Jan. 9, but the royal isn't rushing to return to full-time royal duties. According to a new report, the Princess of Wales is "prioritizing her health" after an extremely challenging year.

Royal fans were delighted when Princess Kate returned to the royal spotlight at the end of 2024. However, the royal has apparently changed her outlook after being diagnosed with cancer and undergoing preventative chemotherapy. "She is looking after herself and is wise to do so," a source told People. "She will know when she wakes up if she is well enough or not [to do something]."

Meanwhile, Robert Hardman, who recently wrote The Making of a King: Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, told the outlet, "We are being encouraged not to look at this as a chapter that's over and then it's back to normal, because cancer doesn't work like that." He continued, "The details remain private but there's no getting over the reality that it's an unpredictable disease."

Luckily, Princess Kate has been able to return to work on her own schedule, which has reportedly allowed her to manage her health. "She has been allowed to get back in her own way," a source told People. "She has been able to pace it and do it her way, and that's great."

Ultimately, it would seem that Princess Kate's closest family members have aided in her recovery. "Family has seen [Kate] through thick and thin this year," a so-called "insider" said. "There is a sense of optimism going forward."

In an interview with Marie Claire, Hardman suggested that 2025 would present some sort of normalcy for the Royal Family. "I would say 2025, I'm sure everyone just hopes that it will be a year of resetting, or it'll be the year of reset," he told senior royal editor Kristin Contino. "It'll be the year of going back to the way we were at the end of 2023 of regular, or semi-regular duties."

Hardman continued, "I think what we will see with her is...we'll see a lot more of her undertaking public engagements, but I still wouldn't imagine being back to 2023 levels."