Princess Kate - Royal Reset

ONE YEAR AFTER REVEALING HER CANCER DIAGNOSIS, PRINCESS KATE STEPS INTO THE SPOTLIGHT WITH RENEWED STRENGTH, PURPOSE AND AN UNSHAKABLE BOND WITH PRINCE WILLIAM

- SIMON PERRY

All eyes were on Princess Kate as she stepped into the 755-year-old Westminster Abbey on March 10 with her husband, Prince William, by her side. The occasion-the annual Commonwealth Day service-marked a significant return for Kate, who missed last year's event while undergoing cancer treatment, unknown to the public at the time. Though the couple are known for keeping public displays of affection to a minimum, this moment-leaning in close, exchanging glances and laughing together-offered a rare glimpse into their private connection. Set to celebrate 14 years of marriage next month, Kate, 43, and William, 42, appeared more in sync than ever, even in the grandeur of the Abbey where they wed in 2011.

"They are happy for people to see them be touchyfeely," says royal expert and biographer Ingrid Seward.

"They're in a different phase of their life now. William is very protective and very proud of her for coming through this and carrying on with her life." For many royal watchers it was a striking contrast to the Kate seen nearly a year ago, when she bravely shared her cancer diagnosis on March 22, 2024, in an emotional video filmed at Windsor. "Everybody has an image in their mind of her looking quite wan and revealing something very personal and very worrying," says royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith.