Breaking News: The Princess of Wales’s Return to Public Duties Is a Portrait of Fall Elegance… Read More

On September 9, six months after disclosing her cancer diagnosis, Kate Middleton shared the welcome news that she had completed chemotherapy with a sun-dappled family video shot in the Norfolk countryside. “The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant, and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown,” the Princess of Wales said in a voiceover. “The cancer journey is complex, scary, and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you.”

The princess wore a denim H&M shirtdress in some scenes, accompanied by Prince William and her three children Charlotte, George, and Louis, and an unstructured Veronica Beard dress in others, the portrait being that of a mother regrounded and reconnecting to the rhythms of family life. “As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment,” she added, pointing out that she would return, slowly, to royal engagements. This afternoon, the princess made the first of those appearances in Southport, dressed in a longline coat with a maroon polka dot blouse and delicate Catherine Zoraida earrings. Prince William walked beside her in a casual suit with a merino knit and tie in the same deep rouge palette.

The couple spent the afternoon with members of the emergency services who responded to the fatal knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop at Southport Community Centre on 29 July. In the aftermath of the incident, the National Police and Wellbeing Service set up a fundraiser to help those who were involved in the immediate response, which was supported by The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales. It is said that both Kate and William also met privately with the families of the three children who lost their lives, and a dance teacher who was present when the event took place. An unexpected appearance from Kate is testament to her unofficial role as “the Children’s Princess,” an endearment given for her continued focus on the wellbeing of young children.