Kate Middleton Is ‘Very Excited to Be Getting Back in the Swing of Royal Duties’: Inside Her Comeback

Her return was nothing short of a triumph. Two months ago, Princess Kate Middleton — immaculately attired in a white Jenny Packham dress and a jaunty Philip Treacy hat — stepped onto the Buckingham Palace balcony during Trooping the Colour, the monarch’s official birthday celebration, drawing roars from the crowd below. The June 15 event marked her first public appearance with the royal family since Christmas — and her first since a March announcement revealing that she’d been diagnosed with an undisclosed cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy . A month later, a radiant Kate ventured out again, this time in a bold purple Safiyaa look, eliciting wild cheers and a standing ovation as she arrived to watch the Wimbledon men’s tennis final on July 14.

Now she’s ready for something even bigger. After spending the summer continuing her treatment and recovery and enjoying time with her children, Prince George , 11, Princess Charlotte , 9, and Prince Louis , 6, during their school break at both their country estate, Anmer Hall in England’s Norfolk region, as well as on King Charles III ’s bucolic Balmoral estate in Scotland, the Princess of Wales is coming to America.

A source exclusively tells Life & Style she’s secretly planning to join husband Prince William in NYC on September 24 for his beloved Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit.

“Kate is very excited to be getting back in the swing of royal duties,” says the source, explaining that supporting William, and inevitably bringing global attention to the environmental action event he’s so passionate about, “means the world to her.”

A Royal Treat for Kate Middleton

But that’s hardly the only draw. Amid this unexpectedly difficult year — Charles, 75, announced his own cancer diagnosis in February — Kate and William, both 42, have struggled to deal with not only what Kate’s called the “huge shock” of her health crisis but juggling her medical needs with their royal and parenting duties. A trip to Manhattan would in many ways be a much-needed distraction.

“They’ve been craving the chance to get away and have some fun, so this serves as a perfect opportunity to do just that,” says the source. “Being away from the kids and holed up in a ritzy hotel will be a treat, plus they love New York and its energy.”

The last time William and Kate were in the city together was a decade ago. They were three years into their marriage and Kate was pregnant with Charlotte at the time. On that trip, they stayed at the Carlyle, a luxury hotel on the Upper East Side. This time, if they’re inclined to indulge themselves again, they could stay in the five-star property’s three-bedroom presidential suite, which encompasses the entire 26th floor, features 360-degree views of the city and costs $40,000 a night.

Yet no matter how comfortable and decadent the amenities might be, Kate doesn’t want to remain holed up in a hotel. If she’s feeling up to it, “she’d like to see more of the Big Apple,” says the source, and maybe “take some time out when they’re not working and go sightseeing, perhaps do some shopping and soak up the atmosphere and culture.”

The fashion-savvy royal wants to look good doing it too. “She plans to work with at least two stylists so she has a good range of choices,” says the source. After all she’s been through, adds the source, “friends are saying Kate needs this more than anything.”

Kate Middleton and Prince William's East Coast Visit

Coming to America means the Waleses will be on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ’s home turf following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s move to the States more than four years ago. Don’t count on a reunion, however — especially after Meghan, 43, reopened old wounds in a new interview. While speaking to CBS Sunday Morning about an initiative she and Harry, 39, just launched to help parents whose children have been impacted by online harm, Meghan said she’d only “scraped the surface of my experience” after previously revealing she was suicidal in 2019 during her first pregnancy and accusing the royal family of being unwilling to defend her from U.K. media attacks. She’s also said she was denied mental-health care by palace courtiers.

As Life & Style has previously reported, William and Harry’s estrangement continues. “It would be way too awkward to see each other,” says the source. “Even if Harry wanted to meet, William would almost certainly take a cue from his father’s handbook and blame his full schedule for it not being possible.” (As Charles did in May when Harry visited London to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.)

Kate Middleton and Prince William's Sweet Escape

This visit is just as much for William as it is for Kate. She knows how much her presence would elevate the attention on Earthshot, which the future king launched with famed naturalist David Attenborough , 98, in 2020 to reward those making significant contributions to environmentalism. Supporting the summit — where 15 finalists will be announced ahead of November’s prize ceremony in South Africa, where five winners will receive $1.27 million each — is one way Kate can thank her husband for all he’s done for her.

“He’s been her absolute rock. He’s taken on more household duties, been caring for the kids, juggling more responsibilities,” explains the source, adding that “Kate’s diagnosis has brought them so much closer together. They take nothing for granted.”

After months of uncertainty, they’re thrilled that things have been moving in the right direction. In June, Kate released a statement revealing her treatment was “ongoing and will be for a few more months.” Though she was “making good progress,” she went on: “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. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.” However, she cautioned, “I am not out of the woods yet.”

The source admits there’s an “outside chance Kate may not feel up to the trip come September, though they’re really hopeful that won’t happen.” Right now, she and William are staying positive, the source adds, and “looking forward to forgetting about the pressures and worries they have at home.