Princess Kate has faced struggles with a medical diagnosis that forced her out of the public eye. While working on her health, she has dealt with rumors about her husband. She’s taken significant steps to protect her family’s image, especially that of their children.
The Prince and Princess of Wales might be royalty, but they face challenges like the rest of us. This year hasn’t been easy for the pair, who have dealt with scary health diagnoses, a cheating scandal, and more. To protect her family, Kate has allegedly taken a specific role, but her efforts were not always well-received.
Princess Kate’s Surgery and Cancer Diagnosis
On January 17, 2024, Princess Catherine and her husband, Prince William’s social media pages released a shocking statement from Kensington Palace. The palace revealed that the day before, the Princess was admitted to a hospital for a planned abdominal surgery.
The procedure was a success, but the royal was set to remain at the hospital for ten to fourteen days before returning home for further recovery. The medical professionals handling her case said she was unlikely to return to her public royal duties until after Easter.
Kensington Palace asked the public to understand the Princess’s wish to have normalcy for her children during that time. She also wanted her medical and personal information to remain private. On March 22, 2024, the royal appeared in a recorded clip giving her fans and followers an update.
Kate thanked the masses for their supportive messages. She confirmed that she was recovering from surgery and noted how the past couple of months have been difficult for her family. William’s wife also acknowledged how great her medical team had been at looking after her.
In a shocking turn of events, Kate revealed that they had initially believed her condition was non-cancerous. But tests done after her operation showed she had the disease. Her medical team advised her to undergo preventative chemotherapy, and she is now in the early stages of treatment.
The royal confessed that the news came as a shock, and she and William are doing everything they can to manage and process the matter privately for the sake of their family. The Princess also noted that it had taken them time to explain things to their children appropriately and assure them.
Kate said she is well and getting stronger daily, and William has served as her comfort. She then asked for privacy as she works on her treatment and vowed to return to her work. But, her main focus right now is making a full recovery.
The royal concluded by urging other cancer sufferers not to lose hope and faith because they aren’t alone. As if her diagnosis wasn’t enough, on February 5, 2024, Buckingham Palace released a statement about King Charles on social media.
It revealed that during a hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, tests picked up a form of cancer in the monarch. On the day the post went up, the King started treatments that would be regular and was advised to postpone his public appearances.
But, he was set to continue his official paperwork and State business. King Charles thanked his medical team for acting quickly, and he is positive about the results of his treatment. He looked forward to returning fully to his public duties.
The monarch chose to reveal his diagnosis to stop any speculations and hoped the public would show understanding for everyone affected by cancer. As if things weren’t difficult enough for Princess Kate, the same month she announced her diagnosis, she was involved in a scandal.
Kate’s Growth, Rumors about William’s Infidelity, and His Wife’s Reappearance
In 2023, Afua Hagan noticed how much William’s wife had evolved since joining the royal family. The royal commentator said, “She’s definitely come into her own” of her confidence in delivering speeches.
Her growth was evident to Hagan, who noticed how she handled that year’s pre-launch event for Shaping Us. The commentator felt Kate had improved in her public speaking due to being able to discuss topics she cares about.
Hagan thought the royal’s speech delivery wasn’t the best, but that has changed now that she’s dealing with something she believes in. The passion behind her work is evident in her speeches, and Hagan felt it was clear that she’d “found her purpose” and she’s excelling in that.
The Princess of Wales at the “Together At Christmas” Carol Service at Westminster Abbey in London on December 8, 2023 | Source: Getty Images
While there’s growth and passion in Kate’s life, her marriage has been under scrutiny recently. In early March 2024, Stephen Colbert revealed that he had some troubling news for Prince William’s royal family.
Speaking on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” the television host noted how internet sleuths were guessing different reasons for Kate’s disappearance from the public eye. They believed her absence wasn’t only because of her recovery but also due to the Prince of Wales’s affair scandal.
The royal was said to be having an affair with Rose Hanbury, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley. Rumors of infidelity have been ongoing since 2019. At the time, tabloids claimed when Kate confronted her husband about the rumors, he “laughed it off” and alleged “there was nothing to it.”
Hanbury is an old family friend of William’s family and is married to his close pal, David Rocksavage, the Marquess of Cholmondeley. He and the Prince of Wales are Norfolk neighbors. Whether the rumors are true or not, Kate has moved on with her family life.
Rose Hanbury, Marchioness of Cholmondeley at a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey on March 29, 2022, in London, England | Source: Getty Images
On June 14, 2024, the Princess of Wales’s joint social media accounts with her husband uploaded the latest picture of her hanging out in nature. Kate shared how “blown away” she was by the messages of encouragement and support she’s received over the last months.
The mother of three said the messages made a difference for her and William, helping them through difficult times. She is making “good progress” with chemotherapy but experiences good and bad days. During the bad days, she feels tired and needs to allow her body to rest.
But, on good days when she feels stronger, she makes the most of it. Her treatment is ongoing for a few more months, and on good days, she engages with school, enjoys her time on things that give her energy and positivity, and has started doing some work from home.
William’s wife looked forward to attending that weekend’s King’s Birthday Parade with her family. She also hoped to partake in some public engagements over the summer. Yet, she clarified that she isn’t in the clear just yet.
Her journey has taught her to be patient, especially when dealing with uncertainty. Kate takes each day as it comes, listens to her body, and allows herself all the time needed for her healing. She extended her gratitude for people’s continued understanding and all those who had bravely shared their stories.
The day after her post went out, Kate was seen in a social media video getting ready with her children to enjoy the King’s Birthday Parade. Another post showed several images of her standing on Buckingham Palace’s balcony. She was joined by her husband, children, the King, and others during Trooping the Colour King’s Birthday Parade.
They all watched the fly-past by the Royal Air Force in London. Besides taking care of herself, the Princess of Wales has allegedly gone out of her way to protect her children and family from public scrutiny.
Kate’s Effort to Keep Her Husband and Kids Safe
According to reports, Kate decided to be the main photographer in the royal family to try and protect her children. She made this alleged move after noticing how the media’s scrutiny of William’s childhood affected him negatively.
The Queen with Prince William and Prince Harry in The Royal Box at Guards Polo Club in Windsor on June 14, 1987 | Source: Getty Images
The Princess is reportedly the one who takes images of her children and releases them. Taking control in such a way allows her to mitigate any harm that her children might experience. She’s able to manage what side of their lives the public is exposed to.
Some of the pictures Kate has been credited for include the family photo she took of her husband and children ahead of William’s birthday in June 2020. In the image, the Prince and his children smiled while posing on a swing.
She uploaded two lovely photos of William playing in the grass with his children. He was seen tackling the little royals in one picture and them lying on his back while he sprawled in the grass.
Kate also added the December 2019 photo of King Charles laying his head on William’s shoulder at Sandringham. While the second image wasn’t taken by her, it showed the Princess as a little girl sitting in her father, Michael Middleton’s lap.
Kate also took the April 2021 picture of William’s late grandfather, Prince Philip, sitting in a horse-drawn carriage with little Louis. That same month and year, she was credited for taking the most adorable photo of the late Queen, her husband, and seven of their great-grandchildren posing at Balmoral Castle in 2018.
She also got credit for the image of Philip preparing a meal while sitting outside with a child. A day ahead of his eighth birthday in July 2021, William’s wife took a stunning picture of George. His sister was featured in two photos a day ahead of her seventh birthday in a May 1, 2022, post.
In the summer of 2022, Kate took an image showing the Queen with some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren at Balmoral. The latest picture taken by William’s wife was to celebrate his birthday in June 2024. The photo showed him and their children jumping while at the beach.
Taking photos isn’t just a hobby for the Princess. The documentary “Kate: A Queen for the Future” revealed that Kate saw her husband being “damaged” by the negative coverage of his childhood. So she’s taken the role of main photographer for the family.
The Princess of Wales at the Christmas Morning Service at Sandringham Church on December 25, 2023, in Sandringham, Norfolk | Source: Getty Images
Hagan, also a journalist, explained how the Princess “understands who she is” and the position she’s in. The commentator added that the royal also understands the interest garnered by her family, especially her children. She got that people wished to see her children grow and that the press requires images of such.
Hagan described Kate’s decision as “unprecedented” for the royals as media coverage is a part of their lives. Ingrid Seward, another royal commentator, said Kate’s choice to be the family’s main photographer is to prevent her children from going through the “trauma” of posing for a stranger.
The 42-year-old avid photographer serves as the patron of the Royal Photographic Society. She also set up the Hold Still project during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Unfortunately for her, not all her pictures have been well received.
The Princess’s Mother’s Day Fail
On March 10, 2024, many people worldwide celebrated Mother’s Day, and Princess Catherine was one of them. She uploaded a family photo on her and her husband’s social media accounts. The picture showed her seated with her three children enveloping her.
While the happy image was meant to be well received, critics picked up that it was altered and Photoshopped. According to one report, the photo had around 16 editing mistakes. This led to different photographers giving their take on the picture.
The image of the Princess of Wales posing with Princes Louis and George and Princess Charlotte had allegedly been saved twice in Photoshop while the royal manipulated it. Some of the mistakes noted were Kate’s zipper looking weird, Charlotte missing part of her left sleeve, and her hair cut off.
The young princess’ skirt also juts out and her knees appear blurred. On the other hand, Louis’s right thumb is blurry, his sweater sleeve is contorted, the step behind him is distorted, and his finger looks cut. His older brother, George, also has some alleged edits.
The oldest Wales child’s sweater sleeve has strange lines and his sweater looks enhanced. Kate’s love for photography is well-known, but that didn’t stop major photo agencies from pulling her Mother’s Day family photo from their archives.
