Two months after Kate Middleton revealed that she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer, reports trickling out of the palace suggest she may be on the mend. An alleged family friend recently told Vanity Fair that Kate has “turned a corner” in her treatment, adding that she’s “tolerating the medication and is actually doing a lot better.” According to People, she’s been seen on a handful of outings with her family and on solo errand runs — though, unlike her grocery trip with Prince William in March, there doesn’t appear to be any footage. Meanwhile, Us Weekly claims she’s “feeling strong enough to be very involved with the kids” but hasn’t been seeing many people because she’s “susceptible to getting sick.”
As for whether we’ll be seeing her anytime soon, a Kensington Palace spokesperson told the BBC Kate won’t be returning to work (and, presumably, public engagements) “until it’s cleared by her medical team.” She is apparently being kept in the loop about the development of her and William’s children’s charity foundation. There are conflicting reports on the timeline of a full return — the Daily Mail’s sources predicted she could reemerge in the fall if she’s fully recovered, but Vanity Fair claims right now there’s no official date; instead, this will all hinge on “when Catherine feels ready and when she gets the greenlight from her medical team.” In May, the Daily Beast claimed Kate isn’t planning to appear in public for the rest of the year, adding that she’s been surrounded by her “birth family” — a phrasing choice that raised eyebrows, especially when coupled with the revelation that she “has preferred to lean on her family rather than her and William’s circle of friends.” The alleged insider also told the publication that Kate’s “circle of trust is tiny” and comprised of pretty much just her parents, sister Pippa, and brother James. The fact that it does not include the source themselves speaks volumes here, but do with this information what you will. Anyway, Us Weekly recently quoted a source who warned that Kate “may never come back in the role that people saw her in before.”
In the meantime, per Vanity Fair, Kate is believed to be staying with William and their kids at Anmer Hall for the summer. (Contrary to popular belief, Us claims the couple is “reconnecting” and “closer than ever.”) Earlier in May, William and 10-year-old Prince George donned their best corporate formalwear to take in a soccer game at Wembley Stadium. Nothing gets between those guys and their sports-watching suits.
This post has been updated.
