Kate Middleton's Royal Return Is Happening 'In Her Own Way and at Her Own Pace,' Royal Biographer Says (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Catherine, Princess of Wales (R) arrives to attend “The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance” ceremony at Royal Albert Hall, in London, on Nov. 9, 2024 as part of the Remembrance Day commemorating the end of World War I.Photo:CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/POOL/AFP via Getty

CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/POOL/AFP via Getty

Kate Middletonlooked “pretty healthy” and “seemed happy” to return to public life for two back-to-back appearances over the weekend, royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith tells PEOPLE.That said, the Princess of Wales’ appearances atNov. 9’s Festival of Remembranceat Royal Albert Hall andNov. 10’s Remembrance Sunday serviceat The Cenotaph doesn’t signal a full throttle return to royal duty — but it is promising.“You can’t say she is back … but she is coming back,” Bedell Smith says, adding of Kate that “She is doing it in her own way and at her own pace, and carefully.”Catherine, Princess of Wales smiles as she stands from the balcony during the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on Nov. 10, 2024 in London, England.Chris Jackson/Getty“I am sure she has missed participating and she seemed happy to be doing so,” she continues, adding, “I don’t think she has wanted to disappoint people, and even though they said weeks ago that she’d like to be there, it was only on Friday that they confirmed it.”“She has managed the expectations of the public very well,” Bedell Smith adds.Kate’s attendance was confirmed on Nov. 8 — as was the attendance of many other members of the royal family, includingKing CharlesandPrince William— butQueen Camillaremained absent from public duty as she continues torecover from a chest infection, which the palace initially announced on Nov. 5.“In the absence of the Queen, she [Kate] was even more the focal point,” Bedell Smith says.Since announcing she hadcompleted chemotherapyin a moving video message on Sept. 9, Bedell Smith says Kate has been “working at her various projects, and that’s not anything we can see.” As for remaining cancer free, “Now it is a case of monitoring and hoping she doesn’t have any more,” she adds.Catherine Princess of Wales and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh stand from the balcony during the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on Nov. 10, 2024 in London, England.Chris Jackson/GettyKate, 42, has largely been absent from public life for the entirety of 2024, after abdominal surgery in January and, during her recovery from it, learning thatcancer was detected. She told the world about her diagnosis on March 22 and has appeared publicly only a handful of times since, including at June 15’s Trooping the Colour, July 14 at Wimbledon, and on Oct. 10, when she accompanied Prince William to Southport, England to meet with families of victims of a mass stabbing attack there over the summer that killed three young girls. The two Remembrance appearances marked her first back-to-back public appearances all year.“Being a senior member of the royal family and doing these ceremonial events is obviously important to her,” Bedell Smith tells PEOPLE.Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!Catherine, Princess of Wales (L) and Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales (R) attend “The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance” ceremony at Royal Albert Hall, in London, on Nov. 9, 2024 as part of the Remembrance Day commemorating the end of World War I.CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/POOL/AFP via GettyAs her next appearance is expected to be her annual Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey in December, “She is clearly a vital piece of the royal family, really important both symbolically and in reality as a future Queen,” Bedell Smith says.Of this weekend, “It was good that people saw her,” she adds.

Kate Middletonlooked “pretty healthy” and “seemed happy” to return to public life for two back-to-back appearances over the weekend, royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith tells PEOPLE.

That said, the Princess of Wales’ appearances atNov. 9’s Festival of Remembranceat Royal Albert Hall andNov. 10’s Remembrance Sunday serviceat The Cenotaph doesn’t signal a full throttle return to royal duty — but it is promising.

“You can’t say she is back … but she is coming back,” Bedell Smith says, adding of Kate that “She is doing it in her own way and at her own pace, and carefully.”

Catherine, Princess of Wales smiles as she stands from the balcony during the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on Nov. 10, 2024 in London, England.Chris Jackson/Getty

Chris Jackson/Getty

“I am sure she has missed participating and she seemed happy to be doing so,” she continues, adding, “I don’t think she has wanted to disappoint people, and even though they said weeks ago that she’d like to be there, it was only on Friday that they confirmed it.”

“She has managed the expectations of the public very well,” Bedell Smith adds.

Kate’s attendance was confirmed on Nov. 8 — as was the attendance of many other members of the royal family, includingKing CharlesandPrince William— butQueen Camillaremained absent from public duty as she continues torecover from a chest infection, which the palace initially announced on Nov. 5.

“In the absence of the Queen, she [Kate] was even more the focal point,” Bedell Smith says.

Since announcing she hadcompleted chemotherapyin a moving video message on Sept. 9, Bedell Smith says Kate has been “working at her various projects, and that’s not anything we can see.” As for remaining cancer free, “Now it is a case of monitoring and hoping she doesn’t have any more,” she adds.

Catherine Princess of Wales and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh stand from the balcony during the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on Nov. 10, 2024 in London, England.Chris Jackson/Getty

Kate, 42, has largely been absent from public life for the entirety of 2024, after abdominal surgery in January and, during her recovery from it, learning thatcancer was detected. She told the world about her diagnosis on March 22 and has appeared publicly only a handful of times since, including at June 15’s Trooping the Colour, July 14 at Wimbledon, and on Oct. 10, when she accompanied Prince William to Southport, England to meet with families of victims of a mass stabbing attack there over the summer that killed three young girls. The two Remembrance appearances marked her first back-to-back public appearances all year.

“Being a senior member of the royal family and doing these ceremonial events is obviously important to her,” Bedell Smith tells PEOPLE.

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Catherine, Princess of Wales (L) and Britain’s Prince William, Prince of Wales (R) attend “The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance” ceremony at Royal Albert Hall, in London, on Nov. 9, 2024 as part of the Remembrance Day commemorating the end of World War I.CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/POOL/AFP via Getty

As her next appearance is expected to be her annual Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey in December, “She is clearly a vital piece of the royal family, really important both symbolically and in reality as a future Queen,” Bedell Smith says.

Of this weekend, “It was good that people saw her,” she adds.

source: people.com