On September 9th, Kensington Palace published a new statement from the Princess of Wales in which she announced that she was done with chemotherapy and the next stage of her life was about doing what she could to “stay cancer free.” With the statement came a three-minute video which was, in a word, cringe. It featured Kate, William and their kids rolling around on a beach and Kate playing with a butterfly in between groping various ferns. The message was complicated, and no one really knew what to make of it beyond “this is gruesome.” Kate and William are always doing these things which they believe will earn them widespread praise, and then even the most ardent royalist is like: YIKES. King Charles and Camilla apparently hated the video too, which we learned days later, and was likely one of the reasons why so many outlets felt comfortable expressing skepticism over all of it. Anyway, one of the still-unanswered questions is “what comes next” and/or “is Kate ever going to work again?” Given all of KP’s briefings, it seems like what comes next is a whole lotta nothing. From The Telegraph:

The video was ALL Kate: The film, one suspects, will become a treasured family memento to be watched fondly together in years and decades to come. This was not a video filmed by committee, workshopped by Kensington Palace aides and edited with the help of focus groups. It was, sources said, a “creative outlet” for the Princess, who has chosen to take control of her own message in a public life which has seen her cede so much. “This is her,” says a friend. The Princess is now, they say, working out what is right for her future, and that of her family.

Kate’s confidence: “This is a personal message from her,” says one source, who notes approvingly that her voice has grown in confidence since first setting out to speak directly to the public, when she revealed details of her illness in a video message released in March.

The future of Kate’s public role: What that will look like is uncertain. Save for two key appearances – Remembrance Sunday and her annual carol concert at Westminster Abbey, which will take place unless her health changes – the rest of her diary over the coming months is unconfirmed for obvious reasons, to allow for cancellations without causing alarm.

The Early Years work: The Princess’s work, including her many public appearances and a flagship project focused on improving the lives of young children, is the constant that has run through her public life, says one palace source, who describes the Wales’ approach to Royal life as an “unwavering commitment to duty and service”. “She’s said on many occasions that her work does bring her great joy,” adds one who knows the couple. “Whether it will be work in the same way now as it was in 2023, time will tell. For now, it’s going to have to be different.”

So many sources are kicking the can down the road: “Perhaps there will be a new approach and a different balance,” says a second source. “But the important thing is, she’ll be back.” Another source said: “The public understands the position she’s in, I think they get it. People want her to balance and not rush back.”

No support groups for Kate: Multiple charities offer specific help for the period of life after a patient’s treatment has ended, from support groups to “cancer coaches”. One, Life after Cancer, says 92 per cent of its users admit to finding life after cancer harder than cancer treatment. Its support system is designed to alleviate the “risk of serious mental distress” after treatment and help people “build a positive life after their cancer experience”. If the Princess cannot join a support group with such a high public profile, she appears to have absorbed their messages. In the case of the Prince and Princess of Wales, one source says: “As she says herself, this has changed their perspective on everything.”

The intimacy of the video: If the public, including those who have followed the monarchy for decades, were taken aback by the intimacy of the Wales family video, those who have spent time with them recently are not. “I think this personal approach is something you will see going forward,” says a source. There is no change in policy on the Wales children’s privacy, a palace source emphasised. The Prince and Princess, like any parents, will continue to decide how much they are willing to share with the public – albeit on a worldwide scale.

How William feels about Kate’s journey: Prince William, who has this year come to terms with cancer diagnoses for his father and his wife, wants nothing more than to protect her, friends say, and give her peace as she recovers. “Like any husband, he wants to support his wife,” says a source. “And at this stage, a big part of that is supporting her to do the things that bring her joy while she is on this journey.”

Measured in decades: As aides have pointed out repeatedly over the years, the Princess’s work will be measured in decades – a lifelong dedication to duty unlike any other career. Now, this logic acts as a reminder that she must be allowed to heal fully – physically and emotionally – before she considers a wholesale return.

[From The Telegraph]

“It was, sources said, a ‘creative outlet’ for the Princess, who has chosen to take control of her own message in a public life.” The video announcing she is cancer-free was her creative outlet? Can she not paint or make a quilt? But really, one gets the sense that Kate is being thrown under the bus yet again. They’re going on and on about how the video was important to Kate, this was her message, this is all about her journey… William was in the video too, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else. Was it a creative outlet for William too? And calling it “creative” is an interesting choice, almost like they were creating a cringefest fictional work of art. As for Kate’s schedule… they’ve successfully kicked the can down the road for another four months. In January, we’ll hear a new story for why Kate is doing f–k all.

Photos courtesy of Will Warr/Kensington Palace.