People: Princess Kate is very good at ‘managing expectations’ about her work

We’re just days away from the one-year anniversary of the Princess of Wales’s “cancer announcement” video, which was released on March 22, 2024. Kate sat on a bench in Windsor and told the world that she was being treated for cancer following her still-unspecified abdominal surgery months prior. Since that video, Kate has made other videos and announcements – last September, she announced that her chemotherapy was completed and that she’s “doing what I can to stay cancer-free.” This January, she announced that she is in remission as well. Kate has also been out and about with some regularity this year, which has been a big surprise given that everyone swore that she would be largely MIA. Anyway, that’s what this week’s People Magazine cover story is all about – “Kate Reclaims Her Role.” Some highlights:

Kate’s events this year have surprised courtiers: In fact, Kate, 43, has surprised many palace insiders with her approach to royal duty. While some speculated that her public appearances would remain limited — and largely alongside Prince William, 42, — she defied expectations with a string of solo engagements early in the year. “She is the MVP of the royal family, and no one knew when she was going to come back,” says royal historian Amanda Foreman. Adds royal expert and biographer Ingrid Seward, “It takes time to feel comfortable and do things your way without always worrying.”

Kate’s office will no longer confirm fashion IDs: Just weeks after sharing news of her remission, reports surfaced that Kensington Palace would no longer consistently share details about her outfits for official engagements. That decision underscores Kate’s evolving public image — one of quiet confidence, resilience and relatability. “She has an inner steel about what she wants and a drive that will be reflected in what she does and what she wears,” The Telegraph fashion director Bethan Holt tells PEOPLE in this week’s exclusive cover story. Adds Foreman, “She is staying on message and is projecting this very mature image, a restrained elegance.”

Kate is good at managing expectations, lmao: “She has been very good at managing expectations, and it’s wise for her to downplay it a bit because when she does more than people anticipated, it has a greater impact,” says royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith. “It’s evident that she is feeling closer to 100 percent than one would have thought at this stage.”

Foreman believes Kate is redefining her role in real time. “She’s making her outings more meaningful in a way that had never been done before,” says Foreman. “And she’s ahead of the curve — creating the meaningful moment rather than the Instagrammable moment.”

William is at Kate’s side: “There is a sense of protectiveness and partnership,” Foreman says. Adds Seward, “They’re in a different phase of their life now. Kate feels enveloped by the love people have for her — that gives her extra confidence.”

One year later: Adds Ailsa Anderson, former press secretary to the late Queen Elizabeth: “Fast-forward, and what a difference a year makes. She’s even more beloved in the nation’s hearts than she was.”

[From People]

“She has been very good at managing expectations, and it’s wise for her to downplay it a bit because when she does more than people anticipated, it has a greater impact.” Not so much? Granted, I think it’s good that Kate has been more visible than people expected this year, and it genuinely does feel like a “return to normal” in some sense. I’m glad she feels well enough to do these events. But I actually believe that Kate has surprised people within Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace, because they were clearly preparing everyone for Kate to only show up at a handful of big events this year. This wasn’t Kate “managing expectations,” this was Kate deciding to be more visible at the last minute because Meghan was suddenly getting so much attention. That, more than anything else, caused Kate to get out and about. I also think that it would have had a “greater impact” if Kate really was only making rare appearances – but instead, it just feels like “back to normal.” Her events have a short shelf-life and the British media will talk about her for a second, then they go back to obsessing over all things Sussex.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images. Cover courtesy of People.