The past year has been incredibly tough for Kate Middleton, with her health struggles forcing her to take a step back from royal duties and public life for a significant period.
The Princess of Wales has finished chemotherapy and has slowly returned to her official roles. The mum of three made it clear in September, after announcing the end of her treatment, that recovery would now be her primary focus.
Meanwhile, Prince William has openly described the past year as “brutal”. With his wife and father, King Charles, both undergoing cancer treatment, he has had to juggle his family responsibilities with his royal duties.
Experts have consistently noted that William’s top priority is his family and the needs of his three children – Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six. Both William and Kate are said to be hands-on parents, preferring to handle tasks like the daily school run themselves whenever possible, a decidedly modern approach to raising the young royals.
The future King and Queen may have had a tumultuous year, but a “romantic” escape may be on the horizon, reports the Mirror. According to The Sun, Prince William has been organising a surprise trip for Kate, allowing the couple to spend some much-needed quality time together, which a source says Kate cherishes above all else.
“Wills is ever the romantic – Kate values their alone time, nothing is more special than having her prince to herself. So he’s planning a romantic getaway – just the two of them – Wills has set the wheels in motion to whisk Kate away,” the insider revealed.
This romantic break may also provide the perfect opportunity for the couple to renew their wedding vows, 14 years after their fairytale wedding at Westminster Abbey, which captivated an estimated 36 million TV viewers and 1900 guests.
The ceremony marked Kate’s official entry into the Royal Family, following her highly publicised relationship with William, which began during their undergraduate days at St Andrews University. The couple lived together with pals during their university days and got through a brief split in 2007.
Insiders shared that William was quite “lonely” at that time, while Kate filled her social calendar with parties and dates to cope with the heartache. After tying the knot, their supposed dream honeymoon destination was the Seychelles.
Now, it’s said William is setting his sights on an intimate romantic escape, akin to a second honeymoon, where they might even exchange vows once more. “They want to go somewhere secluded – Wills has employed a trusted family friend in assisting with this very special private getaway to a place of extreme importance – Africa and the wildlife reserves are a love for them both. To have their wedding blessed there after 14 years would be really special,” revealed the source.
The insider added: “This has been a tough year for Kate and Wills and a complete emotional rollercoaster. He’s confided to friends that everything has been thrown in their path, but he is proud of how they have weathered the storm.”
