Royal Sources Suggest Kate Middleton Might Never "Recover Fully," But a "Major Shift" Is Coming as She Plans Future With Prince William

Prince William wears a navy coat and Kate Middleton wears a brown coat during 2022 Boston visit.

Kate Middleton and Prince William faced a plethora of challenges throughout 2024, and now the couple is preparing for some huge changes, according to royal experts. In September 2024, Princess Kate revealed she'd completed chemotherapy, following a cancer diagnosis. Amid Kate's Royal Ascot cancellation on June 18, a new report suggests that the Princess of Wales is heavily aware of her health as she looks to the future.

"There are some major shifts coming behind the scenes," a friend of the couple told People. The changes include "building a trusted team of top advisers" as they move towards their future roles as king and queen, the outlet explained. "They are really finessing what works and what doesn't," the royal friend noted.

Meanwhile, a royal source suggested that Kate's cancer diagnosis and treatment being so public made an impact on the princess. "She has not been able to have the privacy that a person who faces this kind of illness is normally afforded," a royal source told People. A family friend elaborated, telling the outlet, "I don't think you ever recover fully from what Kate has had to endure this last year. She has always been a huge asset to the Royal Family, but even more so now."

Kate Middleton attending Order of the Garter in 2025. (Image credit: YUI MOK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

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King Charles's biographer, Catherine Mayer, also shared their perspective on Princess Kate's journey, telling the outlet, "She was already the only working royal left with any special pulling power. Now her scarcity means that it has risen." Celebrating the Princess of Wales as an important asset, Mayer explained, "She is the one who generates excitement. For her, less is actually more."

Kate Middleton attending Trooping the Colour 2025. (Image credit: Getty Images)

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Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith also spoke to the publication, sharing her belief that Princess Kate's Trooping the Colour appearance sent a strong message to royal fans. "She projected the confidence of someone who has enthusiastically reconnected with her public duties," the biographer explained.

Even though Princess Kate was forced to miss Royal Ascot on June 18, it's clear that she is creating an exciting plan for the future alongside Prince William.