Royal expert Jennie Bond has suggested Princess Kate may not return to full-time duties “for a very long time” following her cancer treatment.
Speaking on GB News, Bond revealed the Princess of Wales has faced more challenges than previously known during her recovery.
“She clearly found the new normal quite hard,” Bond said, noting that Kate had spoken about experiencing new side effects, including difficulty with speech where “the words just totally disappear.”
Bond believes the princess has had “perhaps more of a struggle than we realise” as she adjusts to a “new perspective on her life.”
Kate visited the Royal Marsden Hospital
REUTERS
The Princess of Wales made her first official engagement of 2025 with a surprise visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea, west London, where she received her cancer treatment last year.
During Tuesday’s visit, Kate personally thanked medical staff and met with patients undergoing cancer treatment at the world-leading centre.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Jennie Bond joined Eamonn Holmes and Ellie Costello on GB News
GB NEWS
The princess, dressed in a dark brown tartan coat and burgundy polo neck and skirt, remarked on entering through the main entrance: “I was just saying, coming in the front entrance here, having made so many quiet, private visits, actually it’s quite nice.”
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said Kate “wanted to make the journey to both show her gratitude to the incredible team, but also highlight the world-leading care and treatment the Marsden provides.”
During her visit, Kate spoke about the impact of cancer treatment on families, noting that “treatments are really so different and so varied, it impacts families differently.”
The princess acknowledged the importance of supporting loved ones, stating that sometimes they “need support just as much as I did as the patient.”
Jennie Bond said Kate will be prioritising her family for some time to come
GB NEWS
She was seen interacting warmly with patients, including hugging one and petting a therapy dog named Scout.
When one woman praised her handling of her children during treatment, Kate responded with a modest “Oh that’s kind.”
The visit also marked Kate becoming joint patron of the hospital’s specialist cancer unit alongside Prince William.
Bond emphasised that while Kate is currently free of cancer, her focus remains on full recovery and family life.
“I think her children and her family are her first priority,” Bond told GB News.
The royal expert suggested this shift in priorities could signal a broader change in royal attitudes.
“I do wonder if the days of, ‘duty before all’, I wonder if we’re past that,” Bond reflected.
She added: “I personally think the family is more important than unconstrained duty,” noting that Kate still has “decades ahead as Queen with full-on duties.”