The Princess of Wales might reportedly have been "disappointed" to cancel her appearance at Ascot, but we're inspired by her mindful approach to her cancer recovery and return to work, with one expert claiming that she's "listening to her body, instead of being a people pleaser".
Of course, there was still plenty at Ascot to keep us entertained - with Carole Middleton's butter yellow ME+EM dress being just as eye-catching as the races. But we still would have loved to see Kate join her mother, husband Prince William and sister-in-law Alizée at the event.
But what we want isn't what the Princess is focused on - and that's exactly how it should be while she's on the road to recovery. June has been a super busy month for her, with woman&home's Royal Editor Emma Shacklock pointing out that she had a "busy few days" with the Trooping the Colour parade and the Order of the Garter service both falling within days of each other.
"I wasn't at all surprised not to see the Princess of Wales at Ascot this year as she had such a busy few days in the lead-up to the races," she says.
Emma adds, "It's important to remember that Kate only resumed royal duties at the start of the year and is easing back into it. Her recovery and her family have to be balanced with her royal duties."
Speaking to HELLO! Magazine royal expert and Editor-In-Chief of Majesty magazine, Ingrid Seward, echoed Emma's stance and said that Kate is taking a mindful approach to returning to royal duties.
"Kate might be back, but she's doing it sensibly, and on her own terms," she said.
"Her priorities have changed and she's listening to her body, instead of being a people pleaser. She's absolutely got to be strict with herself and say: 'No, I can't do this'," explained Ingrid.
She continued, "Maybe we've been lulled into a sense that we'll be seeing her all the time again, because she looks so amazing. But it must be an effort to look like that when you're not 100% full of energy."
Since revealing last year that she was undergoing chemotherapy and then, in January, sharing that she was in remission from cancer, Kate has been optimistic about her recovery. She's always talked about it as a journey.
In June 2024, she shared a powerful message on Instagram alongside a video filmed by Will Warr, in which she said that she was, very understandably, having both "good days and bad days".
"I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days," she wrote. "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."
When the Princess of Wales revealed in January that she was in remission, she spoke of the time it takes to "adjust to a new normal" and explained she remains "focussed on recovery".
