It was a moment of quiet strength. Sitting tall in the open carriage at Trooping the Colour on June 14, Kate Middleton smiled at the thousands lining the Mall. She didnât say a word, but the message was unmistakable.
Just a year ago, Kate, 43, had taken part in the same ceremony while undergoing chemotherapy for an undisclosed form of cancer, her role more limited as she focused on healing. This time, she was present at every turn, including a significant appearance on the parade ground alongside King Charles, 76, and Queen Camilla, 77, fulfilling her role as honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards.
âShe projected the confidence of someone who has enthusiastically reconnected with her public duties,â royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith tells PEOPLE in this weekâs issue.
After an intensely challenging year â one that brought a devastating diagnosis and relentless speculation about her health even before she had the chance to tell her and Prince Williamâs children â Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7 â Kate is focused on the road ahead.
âShe has not been able to have the privacy that a person who faces this kind of illness is normally afforded,â says a source close to the royal household.
But with her public announcement in September that she was done with chemotherapy, followed by news in January that sheâs in remission, this summer marks her first stretch of true respite.
âShe gets so much sustenance in nature, and sheâs lucky to have homes in some of the most beautiful parts of Britain: in Norfolk and on the Windsor estate,â says Queen Elizabethâs former spokeswoman Ailsa Anderson. âSheâll be able to reenergize herself.â
As Kate and William emerge from their most difficult chapter, the princess is carefully pacing herself. âSheâs being sensible, listening to what her body is telling her and easing back into public life,â Anderson says.
Still, challenges loom. The shadow of King Charlesâs cancer diagnosis, which aides now describe as a âmanagedâ condition, means that Kate, William and their inner circle are preparing for an inevitable transition.
âThere are some major shifts coming behind the scenes,â a friend tells PEOPLE. With their future roles as King and Queen drawing closer, the couple are focused on building a trusted team of top advisers. âThey are really finessing what works and what doesnât,â the friend adds.
But Kate, like William, is ready for what lies ahead. Bedell Smith, who has written extensively about Charles and the late Queen Elizabeth, recalls a saying from Elizabethâs mother, the Queen Mother: that the position of monarch â and of their consort â is âa vocation, not a role.â Itâs a fitting description for Kate, who in recent years has embraced her duties with a new level of professionalism and purpose.
Kate has also shown profound solidarity with families facing cancer, sharing parts of her own journey with those going through similar battles. Last October, she and William gave teen photographer Liz Hatton â who was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive abdominal sarcoma called desmoplastic small round cell tumor â the chance to fulfill a bucket-list dream by photographing an event at Windsor Castle.
Since Lizâs death at 17 in November, Kate has remained a steadfast support for her family. âIt shows that cancer can touch any of us,â says Lizâs mother, Vicky Robayna, reflecting on Kateâs diagnosis and the deep connection the princess formed with her family, especially her 9-year-old son Mateo. âIt felt like walking into an extended family and having arms wrapped around you.â
When it comes to her own support network, Kate has been relying on family and a small circle of trusted friends as sheâs navigated cancer and then returned to duties. Her relatively limited public appearances â she has made far fewer than many of her royal counterparts â have only heightened the impact of each engagement.
Says Charlesâs biographer Catherine Mayer: âShe was already the only working royal left with any special pulling power. Now her scarcity means that it has risen.â
Mayer adds that this carefully measured presence, combined with an air of mystery, echoes the late Queen Elizabethâs approach: âShe is the one who generates excitement. For her, less is actually more.â
As Kate continues her healing journey, she has taken a holistic look at her life and priorities, setting boundaries and balancing her ongoing recovery with quality family time. Both she and William were given the space to focus on her well-being and care for their young children.
âThey were able to step back and reassess their priorities in all aspects of their lives,â the friend says.
During this time, Kate has found âsanctuaryâ in nature, she says. Chief Scout Dwayne Fields, who accompanied the princess on a spring outing in one of her familyâs favorite spots, the Lake District, recalls, âShe told me, âDuring my recovery, I spent a lot of time in the outdoors, because thatâs where I felt at peace.â Sheâs a wonderfully warm person and invites you into a conversation. Thatâs her superpower.â
As the school year winds down for George, Charlotte and Louis, the Wales family is looking ahead to a summer filled with restorative time together.
Plans may also include a trip to the idyllic Isles of Scilly or even a Caribbean getaway, as in the past. As always, they are expected to join the extended royal family at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, a tradition Kate has embraced for decades.
But before they fully take a break from the public eye for the summer season, a few high-profile engagements remain. Following her appearance at the historic Order of the Garter ceremony alongside William in Windsor on June 16, Kate is expected to attend the Wimbledon tennis championships â an annual highlight of her calendar, where she received a standing ovation last year in the midst of her cancer treatment. A major moment is also anticipated in July, when she and William are likely to join King Charles in hosting French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, at Windsor Castle â an event that could include a glittering tiara appearance.
âSheâs inspiring many people who have suffered similar health issues,â the source close to the royal household says. âShe has been open and transparent about her cancer journey and demonstrated how you can get on with your life. It is wonderful to see.â
Adds the friend: âI donât think you ever recover fully from what Kate has had to endure this last year. She has always been a huge asset to the royal family, but even more so now.â
