Kate Middleton Makes Surprising Return to Royal Duties—But I Noticed Something Striking About Her First Day Back

Kate Middleton is officially back to work.

On Tuesday, September 17, the Princess of Wales , 42, made her big return to royal duties after finishing preventative chemotherapy earlier this month. This marks her first official engagement since she publicly revealed her cancer update video .

Per The Times , an entry in the royal record, known as The Court Circular, stated, “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 Early Years initiative, which focuses on giving kids the best start in life, is something Middleton has called her "life’s work," The Times reports, so it makes total sense that this was her first workday back.

Something particularly striking about her first day back on the job? This was a more low-key meeting versus a big event with cameras and royal watchers following her every move. Whether or not that was on purpose remains a mystery but it makes total sense for someone still in recovery and in the process of getting back on the horse after some time off to ease back into her role.

In any case, the meeting marks the beginning of what’s shaping up to be a busy few months for the princess. She’s expected to take on “a handful” of duties over the coming months—depending on how she feels, according to The Times .

Middleton’s return comes shortly after she shared an emotional video message on social media, revealing that she’s finished chemo, just six months after announcing her diagnosis .

“As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment,” she said. But she also reminded everyone that her journey isn’t over.

“Staying cancer-free is now my focus… although I’ve finished chemotherapy, my path to healing is long, and I must take each day as it comes.”

Over the summer, Middleton made a few public appearances, including at Trooping the Colour in June and Wimbledon in July, where she received a standing ovation at Centre Court.

So happy to see Kate back—and can’t wait to see what’s next.

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