WITH HER RETURN TO PUBLIC DUTY ON THE HORIZON
WHY THE ROYAL FAMILY HAVE NEVER NEEDED HER MORE
It has been one of the most difficult starts to a year the royal family has faced for decades.
As well as the King undergoing treatment for cancer and the Princess of Wales continuing her recovery from major abdominal surgery, “The Firm” has also suffered the sudden and tragic loss of Thomas Kingston, the husband of His Majesty’s cousin Lady Gabriella.
For Kate, who is now more than halfway through her period of convalescence, rest, recovery and family have been her focus so far this year.
Spending plenty of precious time with Prince George, ten, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, has been her silver lining during a challenging few months and with Mother’s Day approaching, she will be thoroughly spoilt.
But with Easter now just a few short weeks away, she is also starting to think about her return to public duties in April – and the royal family have never needed her more.
Last week Kensington Palace moved to dispel social media speculation about the Princess after her husband the Prince pulled out of an event at Windsor Castle.
Prince William had been due to give a reading at the service of thanksgiving for his godfather King Constantine of Greece when he cancelled at the last minute, citing a “personal matter”.
FORCED TO SPEAK OUT
Royal sources insisted there was “nothing to panic about” and that his absence was unrelated to his wife’s condition, telling hello! she continued to be “doing well”.
But the royal rumour mill went into overdrive, forcing a spokesman for the Princess to intervene and say: “Kensington Palace made clear in January the timelines of the Princess’s recovery and that we’d only be providing significant updates. That guidance stands.”
Royal author Robert Jobson, whose new biography Catherine, The Princess of Wales is published this summer, tells us: “From what I hear, Kate has got into a routine again and is functioning well, but she doesn’t want to rush things. I have spoken to people close to her and I think she is recovering well but is not quite a hundred per cent.
“The King was looking to make the royal family more focused on the main four and having two of the star people out of the picture makes that more difficult, so I’m sure she will be welcomed back with open arms when she’s well enough to return to royal duties. She must be looking forward to that, but she also feel
