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Buckingham Palace has hailed the “wonderful news” that the Princess of Wales has completed her chemotherapy treatment following her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
In a highly intimate and emotional video, Kate, 42, confirmed she hopes to return to public duties and described the past nine months as “incredibly tough for us as a family”.
Spoken over footage showing the Waleses and their three children enjoying the outdoors, walking through woods and playing games, she said the experience had given her a “new perspective on everything.”
King Charles and Queen Camilla consider the announcement to be “wonderful news” and are continuing to offer their love, thoughts and support to the princess on her journey to recovery, a palace spokesperson told The Independent.
Kate is hoping to return to a light programme of public duties for the remainder of the year and aims for a handful of engagements in the coming months.
This includes her Christmas Carol concert at Westminster Abbey, which has become a firm fixture in the royal calendar, and she is said to be hoping to make an appearance with the royal family at the annual Remembrance Sunday service in November.
In the video, Kate says: “Doing what I can to stay cancer-free is now my focus. 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.
“Despite all that has gone before, I enter this new phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation of life.”
The three-minute video was shot last month at the couple’s home in Norfolk, and shows her and Prince William spending quality time with their children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six.
It also includes her parents Carole and Michael Middleton, who are said to have been of a huge emotional support to her over the last year.
Other video clips show the couple playing outdoor games with their children, and reflects the couple’s close relationship as they hold hands while William attempts to kiss her on the cheek.
The princess had been receiving chemotherapy for an undisclosed form of cancer since late February, after initially being admitted to hospital for abdominal surgery on 16 January.
At the time, her condition was thought to be non-cancerous but tests after the successful operation found the disease.
She appeared emotional in a video in March where she announced the state of her health and spoke of the “huge shock” of the medical development.
It came at a difficult time for the royal family, with King Charles announcing his own cancer diagnosis just weeks previously after receiving treatment for an enlarged prostate.
