Through what's been a challenging year for the royal family, Prince William and Princess Kate's relationship has taken center stage, and according to royal sources, they've only come out of 2024 stronger.
A palace source tells People that the couple is "more open" now following Kate's battle with cancer, adding that the Prince and Princess of Wales "talk about their relationship together" and are showing a different side to their traditionally private partnership.
When William called his "dreadful" 2024 "probably the hardest year in my life," he wasn't exaggerating. With both Kate and King Charles facing cancer battles, the future king had to navigate some seriously rough waters. The princess announced she'd been diagnosed with cancer in March 2024, just a month after King Charles revealed his own health news. In January 2025, the Princess of Wales—who paid a personal visit to the hospital where she was treated—announced that she was officially in remission.
While Kate and William have never been big on PDA, they showed a more personal side of their relationship in an emotional September 2024 video announcing that the princess had completed chemotherapy treatment. The royal couple hugged and even kissed in the video (to Princess Charlotte's apparent dismay).
“Here we see a little of that love expressed physically in a way that is as unexpected as it is unfamiliar,” the Daily Mail's Sarah Vine wrote at the time, pointing out that William and Kate were “presenting themselves not only as royals, parents—but also as sweethearts.”
Despite a difficult year that saw Princess Kate mostly staying at home to recover (with a few royal appearances in the summer and fall), the Prince of Wales carried out royal engagements and looked after Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. To mark his wife being in remission, William kicked off the new year—and broke royal birthday tradition—with a special message he penned honoring her 43rd birthday.
"To the most incredible wife and mother. The strength you’ve shown over the last year has been remarkable. George, Charlotte, Louis and I are so proud of you… We love you," he wrote on Instagram alongside a new black-and-white photo of the Princess of Wales.
"William must feel so fortunate that Kate has come through this that he wants to tell the world about that love," Majesty magazine editor-in-chief Ingrid Seward told People, adding, "They are able to express themselves in a way they would never have done before."
Royal biographer Robert Hardman previously told Marie Claire that when it comes to the Royal Family in 2025, "I'm sure everyone just hopes that it will be a year of resetting." He added that while Princess Kate will take on additional duties, that fans shouldn't expect her to jump right back in to regular royal work. "They've made a conscious decision that they're going to be a hands-on family," he said of the Waleses.
However, the princess wrote in her Jan. 14 Instagram post that she was hopeful for fresh beginnings. "It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focussed on recovery," she captioned her post. "As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to."
As one insider put it to People, "She has drawn a line under the last year, and she can move forward." With Kate's statement about "a fulfilling year ahead," it seems the royal couple is ready to write their next chapter.
