Timeline of Princess Kate’s ‘road to recovery’: From emotional cancer announcement in unprecedented video address to today’s statement announcing return to ‘light duties’

Princess Kate has today announced that she will be returning to ‘light duties’ after her emotional cancer announcement at the end of March.

The world began to worry in mid-January when the Princess of Wales hadn’t been seen since she attended the royal family’s Christmas Day church service in Sandringham with her children.

Kate was admitted to the London Clinic for planned abdominal surgery on January 16th, although this news is not announced by Kensington Palace until the following day, with Royal aides saying she was expected to remain in hospital for ten to 14 days before returning home to continue her recovery.

On the same day, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles would be treated in hospital for an enlarged prostate and just a few days later Prince Andrew’s former wife Sarah, Duchess of York revealed she had been diagnosed with skin cancer, six months after being treated for breast cancer.

On January 29, Princess Kate and King Charles are both discharged from London Clinic. The King was seen waving at well-wishers as he left with Camilla but Kate was no where to be seen despite Kensington Palace saying she had returned home to Windsor.

March 10: Kensington Palace released a photograph of Kate and her children to mark Mother’s Day but irregularities are spotted in the Mother’s Day photograph, which leads to the Princess admitting to ‘editing’ the image and apologising for any ‘confusion’ caused

March 11: Prince William and Kate are seen leaving Windsor together as they are driven in a car 

A week later, Buckingham Palace announced to the world that King Charles has cancer but there was still no sign of Kate or any updates.

Worry for Kate grew even stronger when Prince William pulled out of a memorial service at the end of February for the late King Constantine of Greece in Windsor due to a ‘personal matter’.

On March 4, Kate was pictured in Windsor in the passenger seat of a car with a pair of sunglasses on as her mother, Carole Middleton, drove.

Six days later, Kensington Palace released a photograph of Kate and her children to mark Mother’s Day but irregularities are spotted in the Mother’s Day photograph, which leads to the Princess admitting to ‘editing’ the image and apologising for any ‘confusion’ caused.  

The next day she was pictured in a car leaving Windsor with William but her face was turned away from the camera.

On March 18, a video was published by TMZ and The Sun of William and Kate leaving the Windsor Farm Shop following a visit on March 16. 

Kensington Palace announced today that the Princess of Wales has had abdominal surgery

The Princess of Wales leaves Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour in London

The Princess of Wales was greeted with a standing ovation as she headed into the Royal Box at Wimbledon in July

The Princess of Wales made her first appearance at Crathie Kirk since revealing her cancer diagnosis earlier this year

It wasn’t until March 22 that the Princess revealed her cancer diagnosis in a video message that took over news channels across the world.

Kensington Palace said that Kate had started a course of ‘preventative chemotherapy’ in ‘late February’, but they did not confirm the exact date. It is also understood that post-operative tests found that cancer had been present, although again there is no exact date on these.

The Princess first public appearance after her cancer announcement didn’t come until June 15 when she joined the Royal Family to celebrate the King’s official birthday at Trooping the Colour.

Kate beamed and waved as she and her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, were cheered by crowds in The Mall after leaving Buckingham Palace in a carriage procession for the Trooping the Colour ceremony.

A month later, she made another appearance at Wimbledon in the Royal Box to the delight of fans. Joined by daughter Princess Charlotte, nine, and her sister Pippa Middleton the future queen was greeted with applause making her second public appearance of the year.

The most recent sighting of the Princess of Wales was on August 25 when she attended Sunday service at Crathie Kirk with William, King Charles and Queen Camillia and other royals.

Today’s announcement says that she will be returning to ‘light duties’ after completing her chemotherapy treatment, so royal fans can expect to see a little bit more of the Princess they have been worrying about since Christmas.