Robert Jobson, author of Catherine: The Princess of Wales, discusses how Kate informed both the late Queen and her father-in-law, King Charles, that she would proceed at her own pace.
“She made it very clear to both the late Queen and to the Prince of Wales, as he was then – now the King – that she wouldn’t be rushed into doing things she didn’t want to do,” Robert said. “That takes a lot of courage because you’re in a very unfamiliar world. But she understands that she only has one shot at this. With three young children, they have to come first.”
As Kate continues her recovery from cancer, Robert believes the Princess is right to prioritize her private and family life. “She’s very calm,” he said. “She wants to find solutions and rise above the noise and drama. Given what she’s been through, you don’t want to waste any time on unnecessary noise and drama when dealing with health issues. You live day by day and focus on what you want to do. Her children are very young, and this is a time she won’t get back.”
In June, the Princess, 42, publicly shared that she was making “good progress” with her preventative chemotherapy treatment. However, she candidly mentioned having “good days and bad days” and, although she has been working from home, she stated, “I am not out of the woods yet.” She also expressed hope to join “a few public engagements over the summer,” but clarified that these appearances should not be seen as her official return to duty.
So far, Kate has attended Trooping the Colour in June and Wimbledon in July. She and her family are expected to travel to Balmoral later this month to join the King, Queen Camilla, and other royals for their traditional Scottish summer break.
As per tradition, the Waleses usually fly to Aberdeenshire around the August bank holiday and stay at Balmoral Castle for a few days. With ample green space, horse riding, fishing, barbecues, picnics, and fresh air, it’s no wonder the royals love bringing their children to Balmoral for the final part of summer before school resumes in September.
