Kate Middleton may have been known as one of the hardest-working members of the royal family before her cancer diagnosis, but now, she’s going to have to make a major change. As Kate is gearing up to return to work after completing her chemotherapy treatment, she may not be able to return to all of her duties, because her doctors have reportedly emphasized just how important keeping her stress levels manageable really is.
Kate has slowly started making royal appearances again.
Although Kate doesn’t seem to be taking on work at her pre-chemo capacity just yet, she has been slowly returning to working with the public. Most recently, Kate joined Prince William earlier this month in meeting with families and first responders involved in the stabbing tragedies that took the lives of three children in Southport.
“Kate loves reconnecting with the community and representing her family, but she’s also trying to find a balance between her duties and personal well-being,” a source told Us Weekly. “She appreciates the sense of purpose but wants to ensure her stress levels don’t get [too high].”
Fortunately, Kate does seem to be feeling more like herself.
“Kate has a lot more energy than she did even a few weeks ago,” royal author Christopher Andersen told the news outlet. “She’s tremendously relieved that the treatments seem to have worked and she can call herself cancer-free, but she’s not taking anything for granted. She’s following doctor’s orders. Baby steps.”
Her work can be ‘tiring,’ no matter how much she loves it.
Us Weekly’s insider called Kate’s career as the Princess of Wales a “double-edged sword” when it comes to her health.
“[Working] is good for her emotional well-being, but she needs to be careful not to overdo it,” the source said. “She is determined, motivated and taking care of herself along the way.”
The experience has given her a new outlook on life.
“[She sees] how it can change in the blink of an eye,” Christopher said. “Kate knows the cancer could show up again, but for the moment, she’s looking on the bright side. She feels a cloud has been lifted, and she’s excited about the future.”
Another insider added that, as Kate continues to get back to work, we’ll likely see her adding cancer to the list of causes she supports. “Sharing her story has given her a lot of purpose. We will see her supporting cancer research charities more in the future,” the person said.
As always, Kate’s children will continue to come first.
“[The kids] will always be Kate’s priority, and I don’t think William begrudges her that at all,” Christopher said, per Us Weekly. “As a matter of fact, I think he’s very grateful. He’s not going to push her into doing anything she doesn’t want to do, and he took the same attitude before her diagnosis.”
The source added that the family loves “being together all the time.”
“They don’t like having staff around at all hours, so William has been stepping it up. Kate thinks that’s been very cute and sweet,” the person said.