Kate MiddletonTrooping the Color’s appearance came amid a challenging time for the Princess of Wales. Following Kate’s stunning display at the King Charles IIIanniversary parade, ET spoke with royal expert Katie Nicholl about how the public display affected Prince Williamin wife in between your cancer treatment.
“The princess is kind of swan-like — she’s gliding on the surface — but underwater, I think a lot of times she’s paddling frantically,” Nicholl told ET. “I can only imagine that a lot of preparation, time, effort and energy will have gone into Saturday’s appearance.”
“She was standing for a long period of time,” she continued. “There was a moment when she was watching the parade… and was offered a seat, which she gratefully accepted. This is just an acknowledgment that she is not as strong, nor as fit, as she was before joining. this treatment.”
Even amid health challenges, Nicholl noted that Kate ‘looked flawless’ at the royal event, adding: “If you didn’t know she was undergoing cancer treatment, you never would have guessed.”
“I think on a day like Saturday, where she knows the eyes of the world are on her, there is a huge amount of scrutiny that will take its toll,” she said. “I think we can probably imagine that she probably got a long, well-deserved rest afterwards. I don’t think we can expect to see her in public for a while. That will require some recovery.”
As for her appearance at Saturday’s event, Nicholl said attending was Kate’s “sole decision.”
“There was no pressure from anyone on her. She really wanted to do it,” Nicholl said. “She turned a corner in her treatment… When she turned that corner, I was told that Trooping was a goal for her. She received approval from her medical team. She talked to her father-in-law about gifts and to Prince William, they told her fully supported.”
Nicholl added: “Charles has been a huge pillar of support for Catherine when she said she would really like to be there at Trooping. her mind. He just wanted his daughter-in-law by her side.
What followed was an “almost immaculate” note, Nicholl said of Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis‘, 6, mother.
“I think clearly a lot of effort went into her appearance behind the scenes, and it wasn’t just about her looks. her children in the carriage and on the porch,” Nicholl said. “It was obviously very, very important to her to be there on Saturday, and I think she made a huge effort to make sure she could be there and do it all with that wonderful smile on her face. .”
All day long, Kate was seen next to her father-in-lawwho is also fighting cancer.
“At Trooping last year, you had William and his dad shoulder to shoulder. This year, it was Kate who stood by the king’s side. I think that was very deliberate,” Nicholl said. “The cameras captured them in a kind of exchange, where they seem to be talking very warmly, very affectionately. I’m hearing that the always close relationship between Kate and her father-in-law is now even closer… They are both undergoing cancer treatment. They are both going through good days and bad days and therefore are able to relate and have some kind of understanding that they probably cannot have with any other family member.
Following the successful appearance, Nicholl said “there is a great sense of pride” in Kate.
“I think she felt like she needed to be there,” she said. “The children looked so happy and relaxed with their mother there… I think it was important for the Princess of Wales to be there to support her father-in-law, to be there for her family and to be there for the nation to send a really important message that she is fine.”
Although the exhibition is supposed to “give us all a great feeling of optimism” about Kate’s healthThat doesn’t mean she’ll be returning to work full-time anytime soon.
“She was very honest in that message. She said there were good days and bad days when she was tired… I think we should assume that Trooping was a good day, but she’s still in cancer treatment,” Nicholl said. “She talked about that she needs to be able to go through this period privately for her own recovery, but also so that she and her family have much-needed privacy.”
Over the next few months, Kate is expected to “attend some engagements” as long as she receives approval from her medical team and feels well enough. Wimbledon, Nicholl thought, might be a good event for the Princess of Wales to attend.
“I wonder if we might see her at Wimbledon,” she said of the July tennis tournament. “She spoke in that very personal message about wanting to be able to do the things that bring her joy. I think this is being in nature, being with your children, participating in everyday school life, but tennis, don’t forget, is something that the princess loves.”
“She is very proud of her position in the Lawn Tennis Association. Wimbledon is a fixture on her schedule. We have seen her attend with her family every year in the past,” she continued. “It wouldn’t surprise me if we saw her show up at Wimbledon, because I think that’s something that will bring her joy, and a big part of her recovery depends on her being happy.”
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