We break down how her health news came to light.
Even if you’re not a fan or follower of the British monarchy, you probably became one this past year. That’s because in January (it feels like forever ago, but it was, in fact, this year), royal watchers noticed that Kate Middleton had disappeared from her public duties after undergoing abdominal surgery. Her absence spurred speculation about her whereabouts and condition across social media.
We know now what was really happening: On March 22, the Princess of Wales publicly announced that she was diagnosed with cancer. The news was an upsetting end to the rumors that had been building for weeks as royal obsessives wondered why she was taking such a long break from being in the public eye — rumors that only intensified after a controversial (and doctored) photo was released in an attempt to quiet the conjecture.
Now that her diagnosis is on the record, she’s slowly been opening up about the details of her condition and how she’s faring with treatment. In September, she broke the wonderful news that she’s finished chemotherapy — and made her first public appearances since completing the regimen. (More below!)
Needless to say, there’s been a lot to keep up with. If you need a refresher on all of these closely watched developments and how she’s been doing since the announcement, we retraced the princess’s steps from her exit from the public view to her reemergence (to the best of our availability, based on what’s been released).
Dec. 25, 2023: Kate Middleton’s last public appearance
Kate made her last official public appearance on Christmas Day, when she and her family walked to Sandringham for church, in keeping with royal tradition.
January 17, 2024: Kate’s surgery announced
Kensington Palace announced Kate had entered the hospital for a planned abdominal surgery the day before. “The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate,” the announcement read. “She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private.” It added that she was unlikely to return to public duties before Easter and that Prince William would temporarily postpone his appearances to help take care of Kate and the children while she recovered.
January 29: Kate recovers
Kensington Palace released a statement announcing that the Princess of Wales had returned home “to continue her recovery from surgery,” adding, “She is making good progress.” She was expected to recover at home for 10-14 days. She and Prince William also thanked her team at the London Clinic and her well-wishers worldwide.
February 5-7: The King has cancer
The King’s cancer diagnosis was made public on Feb. 5. Two days after that, Prince William made his first official public appearance since Kate’s surgery when he stepped in for King Charles to lead an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle. Later that evening, he attended a fundraising gala for London’s Air Ambulance Charity (where he was photographed with Tom Cruise). In his speech, he thanked attendees for their support following the revelations about Charles and Catherine. He joked, “It’s fair to say the past few weeks have had a rather ‘medical’ focus. So, I thought I’d come to an air ambulance function to get away from it all.”
February 27: Prince William steps back
Prince William backed out of attending the service of Thanksgiving for his godfather, King Constantine of Greece. The palace said it was due to a “personal matter” and later clarified that it was not due to King Charles’s health.
February 29: The palace releases a statement about Kate
Amid rampant speculation about Kate’s whereabouts and condition, the palace released a statement that she was “doing well.” It also reiterated that they would not be sharing regular updates: “Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the Princess’ recovery and we’d only be providing significant updates. That guidance stands,” the statement said.
March 4: Kate’s caught by the paparazzi
TMZ captured a photo of Kate in a car with her mother, Carole. It was the first time she was seen publicly since her operation. The photo was not published by British outlets, though — according to the Daily Mail, “Kensington Palace appealed for her to be able to recuperate in private.”
March 5: A mistake about Kate
There appeared to be a clue regarding Kate’s first public appearance: The official UK Army website listed the Princess of Wales’s name as leading the annual review of soldiers on June 8 at London’s Horse Guards Parade. However, Kensington Palace quickly clarified that they had not approved (or even been consulted about) the appearance and Kate’s name was later taken off the site.
March 6: William makes a statement
Prince William broke his silence and spoke out about the internet frenzy — sort of. A spokesperson told PEOPLE, “His focus is on his work and not on social media.”
March 11: Kate’s first official photo…sort of
The Kensington Royals social accounts posted what appeared to be the first official photo of Princess Kate post-surgery. The palace said the picture was captured by Prince William a week before and showed the Princess with her arms around her children.
But not long after its release, social media users started doubting the photo’s authenticity, pointing out irregularities with the hands, foliage, and other elements. By Sunday night, numerous photo agencies including AP, Reuters, and Getty Images had issued a kill notice, instructing outlets not to publish the image out of concerns that it had been manipulated.
March 12: The princess apologizes for photoshopping
After the social media uproar, Princess Catherine took to the Kensington Royals social media accounts to apologize. “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing,” the statement read. “I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C”
Hours after the apology, the Princess was photographed inside a car with Prince William. The Daily Mail published the photo, which shows the husband and wife leaving Windsor Castle. The outlet reported that the Princess was headed to a “private appointment” while Prince William was on his way to the annual Commonwealth Day service. According to The Telegraph, “two experienced photographers” captured the shot of Kate in the car, anticipating Prince William to appear along their route on his way to Commonwealth Day. “We had no idea that Kate was even in the car with him until we looked at it. It was pure luck,” one of the photographers told The Telegraph.
March 16: Kate Middleton spotted at farm shop, The Sun reports
The Sun reported the first public sighting of Kate Middleton since her surgery, writing that she appeared “happy, relaxed and healthy” on a visit to a farm shop in Windsor with her family. An unnamed witness told the British outlet, “Kate was out shopping with William and she looked happy and she looked well,” adding, “The kids weren’t with them, but it’s such a good sign she was healthy enough to pop down to the shops.” The Sun also reported that later that day she and William watched their children play sports. And while no photos were published alongside the U.K. outlet’s report, TMZ obtained a video of the outing — and Princess Kate can be seen sporting athletic gear, strolling with Prince William, and carrying plastic shopping bags.
A witness who captured some video footage, Nelson Silva, told TMZ, “Kate looked relieved like it was a success going to a shop. It felt natural.” (By the way, before you dive into any conspiracies, TMZ says they’ve examined the metadata of the video and can confirm it was taken on Saturday near Windsor.)
The sighting came after Kensington Palace posted a St. Patrick’s Day message to X, sharing a video of the Irish Guards rehearsing for their annual parade. The Princess of Wales missed the parade — not a surprise given her recovery timeline — and her traditional role of handing out shamrock sprigs to the guards was undertaken by Lady Ghika, wife of the Regimental Lieutenant Colonel, Major General Sir Christopher Ghika.
Middleton was a regular attendee of the parade and was named honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards last year after Queen Elizabeth II’s passing. The Irish Guard paid tribute to the Princess of Wales this year, since she was unable to attend.
March 22: Kate Middleton announces cancer diagnosis
The speculation finally came to an end on a Friday afternoon. Social media suddenly light up with rumors that broadcasters in the UK were gearing up for a major announcement from the royal family, and about half an hour later, the Princess of Wales gave a pre-taped video statement announcing she’d been diagnosed with cancer following her abdominal surgery, and she’s currently undergoing chemotherapy. Watch her full announcement right here.
March 24: Kate and William speak out
Two days after revealing the Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnosis, she and her husband, Prince William, broke their silence via a spokesperson for Kensington Palace. “The prince and princess are both enormously touched by the kind messages from people here in the U.K., across the Commonwealth and around the world in response to Her Royal Highness’ message,” the representative said, adding, “They are extremely moved by the public’s warmth and support and are grateful for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time.” Supporters have been paying visits to Kensington Palace and Windsor Castle in droves, leaving flowers and other well wishes for the princess.
April 18: Prince William returns to royal duties
While the Princess of Wales recuperates from her cancer treatment, Prince William made his first public appearance at a charity event. He visited Surplus to Supper, a nonprofit that bridges the gap between food waste and food poverty by distributing surplus food to those in need. He helped deliver food to a youth center and cook meals.
The week before, he was spotted at an Aston Villa football game with Prince George.
May 29: Sources say the princess “has turned a corner” and give updates on her return to work
Conflicting media reports have emerged about the Princess Catherine’s return to work. On May 25, unnamed “royal sources and friends of Kate Middleton and Prince William” told The Daily Beast the Princess would likely “not appear in public for the rest of the year.” But three days later, PEOPLE reported that she was spotted running errands, although the outlet didn’t publish any photos of said outings.
On May 29, Vanity Fair published a report giving more information on the timeline of the Princess’s return to work. Sources refuted the claim that she wouldn’t be back to work until next year, but did say that her official return hasn’t been planned yet.
One “well-placed source” told Vanity Fair, “There is no timeline, and there is certainly no hurry. It will be when Catherine feels ready and when she gets the greenlight from her medical team. But she will 100% be coming back to work, of that there is no question.”
A family friend offered an update on the Princess’s health and said, “It has been a great relief that she is tolerating the medication and is actually doing a lot better.” The source added, “It has, of course, been a very challenging and worrying time. Everyone has rallied around her — William, her parents, and her sister and brother.” Sources close to the princess also told VF that she “turned a corner” with her treatment and is feeling much better.
This all comes a little over one week after the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood and its business task force published a report calling for businesses to prioritize early childhood, such as by supporting parents and caregivers and improving early childhood education. Although Princess Catherine was, according to the Daily Mail, the “driving force” behind the task force and she was given and briefed on the report, a Kensington Palace spokesperson said that its release should not be interpreted as the Princess returning to work.
June 8: The princess pens a letter to The Irish Guards
In a post on X, The Irish Guards — of which the Princess of Wales is an honorary colonel — shared a letter they’d received from the Princess ahead of the final Trooping the Colour rehearsal.
“I wanted to write and let you know how proud I am of the entire Regiment ahead of the Colonel’s Review and Trooping the Colour,” she wrote. “Being your Colonel remains a great honour, and I am very sorry that I’m unable to take the salute at this year’s Colonel’s Review.” She added some well wishes to the rest of the Regiment and closed the letter with, “I do hope that I am able to represent you all once again very soon.”
Trooping the Colour is a parade for the King’s birthday and will be held on June 15. The Colonel’s Review takes place one week before the King’s Birthday Parade and serves as the final rehearsal before the big event. Though she missed the rehearsal, the Palace has not made a statement addressing whether Princess Catherine will be at the ceremony on Saturday.
June 14: The princess announces she’ll make her first public appearance since her diagnosis
After months away from the spotlight, the princess posted on Instagram to thank followers for their “kind messages of support and encouragement” and offer an update on how she’s doing.
“I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days. On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well,” she wrote. “My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months. On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home.”
She also made a huge announcement: She will be appearing in public for the first time since she revealed her cancer diagnosis. The princess will attend a parade celebrating the birthday of King Charles, scheduled to take place the weekend of June 14.
“I’m looking forward to attending The King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join a few public engagements over the summer, but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet,” she said.
July 14: The princess attends Wimbledon
The Princess made a rare public appearance at Wimbledon as she continues her cancer treatment. She attended with her sister Pippa and daughter Princess Charlotte to watch Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic compete in the men’s singles final. Catherine entered the Royal Box, where she was watching the match, to a standing ovation from the crowd.
She also presented the trophy to Alcaraz, who claimed the title for the second year in a row.
September 9: The princess announces she’s completed chemotherapy
In an emotional video posted to social media, the Princess announced that she’d finished chemotherapy.
“The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family,” she says in a voiceover over shots of her with her family and scenes of nature in Norfolk. She adds, “The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you.”
She also says the experience has given her “a new perspective on everything” and has “reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life.”
The princess now says that her focus is “doing what I can to stay cancer free” and added that although she’s finished her course of preventative chemotherapy, “my path to healing and full recovery is long.”
September 22: Kate seen in public for the first time since completing chemo
The Princess was seen at Crathie Kirk Church near Balmoral Castle, the Scottish home of the Royal Family. She joined her husband Prince William, King Charles, and Queen Camilla for the service.
She was photographed arriving at the church wearing a brown tartan coat and a wide-brimmed hat adorned with feathers. This was only days after she returned to work at Windsor Castle: The 42-year-old held her first official meeting in more than nine months, reportedly speaking with members of her household staff and representatives from the organization she founded in 2021, The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.
Oct. 11: The princess steps out in first public engagement since cancer diagnosis
A few months after a devastating knife attack that killed three children at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Prince William and Princess Kate met with local authorities at the Southport Community Centre. They also spoke with mental health professionals who are helping the community in the wake of the attack.
November 11: Princess Kate returns to major public duties
Close to two months after the announcement that she’d completed treatment, the Princess of Wales joined her husband and other members of the royal family at the Festival of Remembrance at Royal Albert Hall for an event honoring war veterans. The next day, she attended an event at the Cenotaph War Memorial for Remembrance Sunday, which commemorates troops killed in the line of duty.
December 6: Princess Kate joins royal family at the “Together at Christmas” carol service at Westminster Abbey
In something of a full-circle moment, the princess joined her family at a Christmas event at Westminster Abbey — almost a year after her health journey and the media saga began.
According to the Daily Mail, the princess was “hands-on” with the planning of the event, having regular meetings about the progress and arriving early on the day of the service. According to Kensington Palace, “This year, Her Royal Highness wanted to celebrate the many people supporting those in need — individuals who have inspired, counselled [sic], comforted, and above all else shown that love is the greatest gift we can receive.” In keeping with that mission, she invited the child survivors of the Southport stabbing as her special guests to the concert.
