Despite a difficult year, Kate Middleton is ready to take on the role of queen if it happens sooner than expected, according to a close source reveals “Page Six”.
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Prince William, Kate Middleton and their three young children began Christmas festivities earlier this year at their luxurious country estate. They chose not to attend the traditional lunch at Buckingham Palace with King Charles and the rest of the royal family, preferring to retreat to Anmer Hall in Norfolk after what a family friend described as an incredibly difficult time , as we can read on “Page Six”.
William, 42, described this year as “brutal” due to the Princess of Wales' battle with cancer, which has kept her out of the public eye for most of the past 12 months, sparking many speculations. Kate has now completed her chemotherapy treatment and the couple are at home with their children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6.
“No one could have predicted what this year has brought for the Prince and Princess of Wales,” the friend said. “Family is so important to them, and children are the center of their universe. They wanted to start celebrating early. Their focus this Christmas season is on being with family at home and then joining the rest of the Windsor family on Christmas Day. The Prince of Wales said it had been the most difficult year of his life.”
Considering he was only 15 when his mother, Princess Diana, died in August 1997, that's saying a lot. “I've been told she's doing better, which is indicated by slightly more frequent appearances… but it's clearly been devastating and very difficult for her, and she's not out of the woods yet.” , Hugo Vickers, renowned royal historian and family friend, told “Page Six.”
The repercussions of the last 12 months have been far-reaching for Kate and William, who live with the knowledge that, as Prince and Princess of Wales, they are potentially one breath away from becoming King and Queen, especially since King Charles continues his own cancer treatment. Should she be called upon sooner than expected, “Catherine is more ready than ever to be queen,” Vickers said.
Sources told us that King Charles was “exhausted” after his nine-day trip to Australia and Samoa ended in October with Queen Camilla, during which he interrupted his treatment. “He looks quite tired up close, red around the eyes and thinner,” said a royal insider who saw Charles recently, “especially for someone who normally looks so vigorous, but I suppose this is to be expected after 10 months of cancer treatment.”
A Buckingham Palace source confirmed to the newspaper on Friday that the 76-year-old monarch will continue his treatment next year, but said it was still a “very encouraging status quo”. The king's health is still “managed” but “progressing in a positive direction,” the source added. Her Majesty intends to resume a full schedule of public duties next year, including “exciting” visits to the UK and internationally in the first half of 2025, the insider said.
Charles joked he was “still alive” as he gave high-fives during a final pre-Christmas engagement on Friday in north London with Camilla. As for William, “He has to try to be positive,” Vickers said. “But he must be under enormous stress – not only is his father ill, but the Prince of Wales, throughout history, doesn't know what morning he will wake up and find himself king.”
We're told that after completing treatment a few months ago, Kate is still on a “gradual return” to work which will continue well into the new year, and there are no joint travel plans for the prince and the Princess of Wales next year. Although, according to sources, the British Foreign Office would like to see them come to the United States in 2026 for the World Cup and to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
“There’s no reset button to go back to how they were before,” the friend said. “Cancer is an equalizer and every family in the world knows someone who has been affected by this disease, so we can all relate to what the Prince and Princess of Wales have been through. But [Kate] had to manage his illness in front of the world.”
Vickers added: “His health comes first, that point was very effectively made – and, of course, his children.” We're told Kate has been seen privately with her children at Home Park in Windsor, near the family cottage in Adelaide, as well as on school runs and school events.
In recent months, the 42-year-old princess has also made a few public appearances, culminating in the annual Christmas carol service she hosted at Westminster Abbey earlier this month, 'Together at Christmas' . It was an emotional affair, although one guest told us, “You wouldn’t know by looking at her what she’s been through.”
William, who remains estranged from his younger brother Prince Harry, has taken on more statesmanlike responsibilities, as evidenced by his last-minute trip to Paris for the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral earlier this month , where he met with President-elect Donald Trump. Trump said they had a great conversation, telling the Post that William is a “handsome” guy. “I asked him about his wife and he said she was fine. And I asked him about his father and he is fighting very hard, and he loves his father and he loves his wife, so it was sad,” he added.
Speaking to British media during his tour of South Africa in November, William said going through it all had been “incredibly difficult”. “Honestly, it’s been terrible. This is probably the most difficult year of my life,” he said. “But I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my dad, for handling the things that they did. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yes, it’s been brutal.”
Despite all the bad, this year allowed audiences to see a new human side of William and Kate.
The editor wrote this article using AI.
