We have already seen this selective approach to duties in action: during the Emir of Qatar’s state visit to Britain, Kate was part of the welcoming party during the day, but did not attend the evening banquet at Buckingham Palace. Next year, she may take on a couple of foreign engagements – but it’s expected that she’ll prioritise particularly important trips, and these will be taken in line with medical advice. During his recent visit to South Africa for the Earshot Awards, Prince William hinted during an interview that, after a ‘brutal year’, his wife might be up for travelling again soon. ‘I think hopefully Catherine will be doing a bit more next year, so we’ll have some more trips maybe lined up,’ he said.
Royal fans may get a few surprise appearances from the Princess in the coming months, as she joins Prince William on confirmed engagements as and when she feels well enough. ‘They can’t raise people’s expectations with lots of engagements only for her to face a setback, not feel well, and things are cancelled,’ explained Ailsa Anderson, the late Queen’s former press secretary, to People. ‘The strategy of an unexpected visit gives her flexibility. She doesn’t have the pressure of feeling she has to turn up.’
What’s clear is that as Kate Middleton navigates her way back to public life, the path won’t be straightforward. ‘Life-threatening illnesses bring a reconsideration of priorities. She and William have always made it clear that family is the most important thing,’ a source close to the royals told People. ‘You can’t go through something like that and come out the other side unchanged. She is a different person now.’ The most distinct change, perhaps, has been in Kate’s attitude to her work, and the way in which she is now putting herself – and her family – first. As Bedell Smith says, ‘she is very much in control of her return to public life. She is doing what works best for her.’
