I’ve been a royal reporter (and enthusiast) for well, decades and, especially since Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement back in late 2010, I’ve been keeping close tabs on their many milestones. Today’s release of Kate’s video update marking the conclusion of her chemotherapy treatment for cancer was no exception.
Kate Middleton Just Released an Emotional Update on Her Cancer Treatment & There Are 3 Hidden Details That Stood Out
The royal past meets the future
Published Sep 9, 2024
•9:15pm
Samir Hussein/Getty Images
In the scheme of things, you could say that this particular announcement from the Princess of Wales carries more meaning than others. Health matters certainly feel more significant than other big moments I’ve closely tracked such as William and Kate’s royal wedding, the arrival of their three children (now, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis) and other occasions that mark the passage of time such as the death of Queen Elizabeth II (and Kate and William’s subsequent elevation to Prince and Princess of Wales).
Still, something that stood out to me as I watched Kate’s video today, which by the way, was chock full of intimate moments and vulnerability—something we rarely see displayed by the royals—was how much this milestone moment looks to the future while simultaneously connecting the dots to Kate and William’s royal past.
Max Mumby/Getty Images
1. The Setting Is Significant
The video was filmed near their countryside estate in Norfolk just last week. Over the years, but especially recently, when we saw a video released under very different circumstances (to mark Kate and William’s 10-year wedding anniversary in 2021), the pair has flocked to this location with their kids in tow to frolick on the beach, enjoy nature and relax together—a clear escape from royal life where they can just be as a family. It’s a safe haven, in good times and bad. (It’s also worth noting they hired the very same wedding anni videographer, Will Warr, to shoot the update released today—more royal lines to the past being drawn.)
Handout/Getty Images
2. Family Traditions Run Deep (and Remain Strong)
Another detail in the video that takes us even further back? The footage of Kate and William enjoying a picnic with their children—and their family dog, Orla—that connects us to another much more distant (yet familiar) royal memory: Prince George’s third birthday, where in photos distributed to the press, he shared a treat with the then-Cambridge family’s then-royal dog, Lupo. Yes, that particular photo shoot in 2016 also took place in Norfolk and beneath a similar looking tree. And yet again, there’s that link to Kate and William’s royal journey and how much we’ve witnessed between then and now.
3. The Over-Arching Connection to Nature
Finally, this past spring, Kate famously announced her return for Trooping the Colour and progress in the right direction, health-wise, while standing beneath the trees. She also recently championed nature’s healing powers and has long been open about her efforts to raise her children to spend as much time as possible outdoors.
This brings me to an even bigger royal throughline: From Prince Philip to Prince William, the environment—and a respect for its ability to ground us and supply balance as long as we properly care for it—has long been a part of the royal story. The inclusion of it here centers us all in the passage of royal time. (It also subtly reminds us who’s on deck to be king and queen next.)
It’s true—there’s nothing quite like a health crisis to remind us what matters most or, as Kate put it today, bring “you face to face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before.” But the way this video connects her present and future to her past is comforting somehow. Those hidden parallels serve as a royal reminder that, no matter the milestone, we’re always going to be a sum of all our parts. (Kate is no exception to that.)
Now, if you need me, I’ll be continuing to root for Kate’s continued recovery and future milestones. I’m optimistic there will be many.
