By Freddie Clayton
LONDON — Princess Kate has made her first public appearance since she announced she had completed chemotherapy and would be returning to some public duties.
Joined by her husband, Prince William, she was seen attending a Sunday service at Crathie Kirk, a church near the family’s royal Balmoral estate in Scotland.
In new photos, the Princess of Wales, 42, was captured smiling in the passenger seat of a car driven by William and accompanied by a convoy carrying other members of the royal family, including King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
Early this month, Kate said in a deeply personal video message that she had completed treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer that was detected after abdominal surgery earlier in the year.
In the video, she said her “path to healing and full recovery is long” and added that she would undertake “a few more public engagements” in the coming months.
NBC News royal contributor Katie Nicholl said Kate was beginning to look “very much like her old self” but warned that her attendance at the church service did not mean the public would be seeing much more of her.
“I think when it comes to important things, she will be there,” Nicholl said. “But her priority, as she has said, is her health, is staying cancer-free and not carrying out a packed schedule of events.”
Last week, Kate held her first official engagement since she completed treatment, according to the Royal Circular, a daily briefing of royal activities published in The Times of London newspaper.
Last Tuesday, an entry reads: “The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron, The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, this afternoon held an Early Years meeting at Windsor Castle.”
The Royal Foundation is the main philanthropic vehicle for William and Kate, supporting community groups that work on early-years education, homelessness and conservation projects.
The palace released no pictures or details of the meeting.
Kate had already appeared in public since she revealed she was undergoing cancer treatment in March, including at Trooping the Colour, an annual military parade to celebrate the birthday of the British monarch.
She also appeared in July in the royal box at the men’s final at Wimbledon, where she received a standing ovation.
It emerged in February that King Charles was himself receiving cancer treatment. He has also returned to public duties after having temporarily stopped most of his engagements after the diagnosis.
Kate’s and Charles’ absences had led to a distinct shortage of senior royals available to carry out official daily duties since the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the departure of Prince Harry and Meghan to California and Prince Andrew’s stepping down from front-line duties.
Freddie Clayton
Freddie Clayton is a freelance journalist based in London.
Briony Sowden
contributed
.
