Kate Middleton Won’t Join Prince William In South Africa Amid Cancer Battle: Report

Kate Middleton will not be by her husband’s side when he travels to South Africa for the Earthshot Prize Awards next month, despite her return to royal duties.

The awards, which William co-founded along with Sir Richard Attenborough, honor the year’s top achievements in environmental research.

No reason has been given for Kate’s absence. But her name was not on the roster when the list of this year’s celebrity guests was revealed on Sunday.

Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales speak with members of the Emergency Services during a visit to Southport Community Centre on October 10, 2024 in Southport, England. (Photo by Danny Lawson – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

A Very Special Event

Organizers selected Capetown for this year’s ceremony in order to highlight an “explosion of innovation” on the African continent in recent years.

The event will be co-hosted by actor Billy Porter and South African broadcaster Bonang Matheba.

Celebrities like Heidi Klum, Winnie Harlow, Nina Dobrev, and Tobe Nwigwe have been tapped as presenters, according to GB News.

Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales arrive for a visit to Southport Community Centre on October 10, 2024 in Southport, England. (Photo by Danny Lawson – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

The ceremony will stream live, worldwide, thanks to a special partnership with YouTube.

Why Is Kate Middleton Skipping the Earthshot Awards?

Needless to say, it’s the sort of event that Kate normally wouldn’t miss. So why is she staying home this year?

The royals have not made an official statement in connection with Kate’s decision. But the consensus among observers is that Kate is still prioritizing her recovery.

As you’re probably aware, Kate spent much of this year battling cancer.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, Patron of The AELTC smiles prior to presenting Carlos Alcaraz of Spain with his trophy following victory against Novak Djokovic during day fourteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2024. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Fans were thrilled when Kate announced last month that she’d completed chemotherapy. And while that news is certainly encouraging, it doesn’t mean that Kate has recovered completely.

Seemingly in an effort to manage expectations, William later revealed that Kate still has “a long way to go” with her treatment.

Both remarks were made just a matter of weeks ago. So the news that Kate won’t be traveling to South Africa should not come as a shock.

Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales attend a ceremonial welcome for The President and the First Lady of the Republic of Korea at Horse Guards Parade on November 21, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

This Won’t Be the First Time That Kate Has Skipped the Earthshots

It’s worth noting that Kate was also unable to attend the 2023 Earthshot ceremony, as well.

The awards were presented in Singapore that year, and Kate stayed home in order to help Prince George prepare for his school exams.

But even though she won’t be on hand for this year’s ceremony, Kate appears to be on the mend.

Catherine, Princess of Wales speaks with members of the Emergency Services during a visit to Southport Community Centre on October 10, 2024 in Southport, England. (Photo by Danny Lawson – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

The Princess of Wales attended Trooping the Colour back in June. And she presented trophies at Wimbledon just a few weeks later.

So it’s safe to assume that Kate will soon be able to resume a full schedule of work and travel.

But in the meantime, it’s good that she’s taking things slowly.