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Princess Kate Middleton will be joining husband Prince William and other members of the royal family for an upcoming state visit to London by the Amir of Qatar.
The occasion will mark Kate’s most significant appearance of 2024 after she was diagnosed with cancer and underwent lengthy chemotherapy treatments.
Buckingham Palace made the announcement on Monday, November 25, that Kate, 42, will be alongside William, 42, to welcome the Amir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and his wife, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al Thani, on the first day of their two-day official state visit to the United Kingdom on December 3.
Unfortunately for royal watchers, it doesn’t appear that they’ll be seeing the Princess of Wales decked out in a gown, tiara and royal jewels, as it’s understood she won’t be attending the glamorous state dinner held at Buckingham Palace for the visiting dignitaries.
Kate has been slowly stepping back into royal duties after announcing on September 9 that she had completed chemotherapy. She attended the Festival of Remembrance at Royal Albert Hall on November 9 and watched the Remembrance Day service from a balcony above the Cenotaph the following day.
The princess has been largely out of the spotlight for most of 2024. Kate underwent a “major abdominal surgery” in January, which required a lengthy recuperation period.
However, the royal was the victim of cruel “Where’s Kate?” questions and rumors about why she hadn’t been seen for several months.
Kate shared the heartbreaking news of her cancer diagnosis in a March 22 video, although she has not disclosed what type of the disease she has been battling.
“My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventive chemotherapy, and I am now in the early stages of that treatment,” Kate explained. “It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to [the kids] in a way that is appropriate for them and to reassure them that I’m going to be OK.”
“We hope that you’ll understand that as a family we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment,” she continued. “But for now, I must focus on making a full recovery.”
Kate’s first public appearance after the cancer news came as a welcome surprise, when she announced one day before the June 15 Trooping the Color that she would be in attendance. It also marked the princess’ first update on how her cancer treatments were going.
“I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days. On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting,” she revealed.
Kate said that she was looking forward to attending the king’s birthday parade and hoped “to join a few public engagements over the summer,” while cautioning, “I am not out of the woods yet.”
The princess attended Trooping the Color looking stunning in a white upcycled Jenny Packham dress. She took a carriage ride with her three children she shares with William — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — to Horse Guard’s Parade, followed by the royal family’s appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
Kate made a surprise appearance at the Wimbledon men’s finals in July, receiving a standing ovation as she arrived at the royal box to watch Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic square off. She later handed out the trophies as patron of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club.
The princess shared a rare update on September 9, revealing, “As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment,” in a video that highlighted some sweet moments with William and their three children.
“The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family,” she explained. “Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes. I am, however, looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months when I can.”
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