On September 9, Britain's Duchess of Cambridge released a video on social platforms, confirming that she has finished cancer preventive chemotherapy and will take part in as many public events as possible later this year. This dispels previous rumors on social media that she had "disappeared" from public view.
Britain's Duchess of Cambridge and her husband Prince William visit a church near Balmoral Palace in Scotland with King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Sept. 22, local time.
She appeared to be in good shape, smiling and wearing a feathered hat as she sat in the passenger seat of the car with Prince William behind the wheel, British media reported.
It was Kate's first public appearance since announcing she was ending preventative cancer treatment. Previously, on September 9, she posted a video on the social platform, confirming that she has finished cancer preventive chemotherapy and will participate in some public events as much as possible later this year. This dispels previous rumors on social media that she had "disappeared" from public view.
This time, though, the video was different. In the available information, she rarely expresses her thoughts. But this time, not only did she reveal her vulnerability to cancer in a voiceover, but she also "showed great affection" by interacting with Prince William in front of his family. To the outside world, she is seeking to change the way she deals with the public.
And then there's the royal family behind her. Traditionally, the royal family has adopted a "never complain, never explain" strategy, but now Kate and Prince William are allowed to post videos of their "public displays of affection." This is the latest attempt by the royal family to enhance its public image while protecting its privacy.
On September 9, 2024, local time, the British Princess Kate released a long video to announce that she has completed cancer preventive treatment. Picture/Visual China
The first civilian girl in the public eye
It's been 20 years since Kate Middleton first stepped into the public eye in 2004. On April 1 of that year, a photograph of her and Prince William together in the Swiss resort of Klosters appeared on the front page of a British tabloid. It was then understood that Prince William had a girlfriend, and her name was Kate.
Kate was immediately thrust into the public eye. People wonder how the girl came to be with Prince William.
Kate was born in 1982 at a hospital in Berkshire, England, as Carole and Michael's first child. Later, her sister Philippa and brother James were born. After that, Kate's parents quit their airline jobs and opened a mail-order company, which became one of the wealthiest people in Berkshire.
Despite their busy business, they have not forgotten to nurture their children. In Carol's eyes, Kate will one day be the most successful of her three children. From primary school, Kate went to St Andrews School, an aristocratic primary school far from home. After that, almost every school she attended was an expensive, aristocratic one, including Marlborough School, a private school that now charges around £47,000 a year.
And Kate lived up to her parents. She is not only elegant and decent, but also has a strong comprehensive quality. At school, she excelled in academic performance, and loved skiing, sailing, tennis, rugby and many other sports. She also had her own unique opinions on drama, art and music.
In addition, Kate is modest and has left a good impression on most of her teachers and classmates. Charlie Leslie, a former schoolmate, said: "Kate was a very good girl - very popular. She was captain of the school hockey team and first doubles player in tennis. She's an energetic, athletic girl."
But she has also experienced unpleasant episodes. One of her classmates at Marlborough School, Gemma Williamson, recalled: "Catherine [Kate's nickname] suddenly moved to school in the middle of the year. At that time, a male student gave a female student a grade as a prank, and her grade was very low." However, after a summer holiday, Kate has become more elegant and confident, good conversation, and rapid progress has impressed her classmates.
Later, Kate was admitted to the University of St Andrews, one of the top universities in the UK.
According to public information, it was at the St Andrews campus that Kate and Prince William met. What really heated up their relationship was a charity fashion show in March 2002. On that day, the normally elegant and demure Kate changed her style to wow the crowd in a see-through lace gown, which also caught the eye of Prince William. Prince William then discovered that Kate has such a bright and charming side, and has since launched a courtship of her.
At the St. Andrews campus, Kate and Prince William had a lot of time together. There is speculation that Kate's mother Carole has planned carefully for years and finally achieved the purpose of letting her daughter meet the crown prince of the royal family. But no matter how the outside world interprets it, Kate has not publicly responded, and how she met Prince William remains a mystery.
Once fell into the "disappeared her" public opinion storm
After several years of love, on April 29, 2011, Kate and Prince William held the "wedding of the century" at Westminster Abbey in London.
The wedding not only invited more than 1,900 guests to watch, but also more than 1 million British people and tourists from all over the world gathered in the streets of London to send their best wishes. In addition, an estimated 2 billion people around the world watched live to witness the biggest royal wedding since 1981.
At the age of 29, Kate was not only the first commoner woman to marry a British prince, but also the oldest princess to marry, and people called her "Princess Kate". Someone was happy because she brought the story of Cinderella marrying Prince Charming to life. There are also doubts about whether she can handle the responsibilities of a princess even though she is not from an aristocratic family.
In the face of external criticism, she still does not respond, but performs her duties as required by the royal family. She often represents the royal family at important national and international events, and prepares carefully for each speech, event and visit.
According to several polls, the Duchess of Cambridge is one of the most popular members of the British royal family. When people talk about her, they are often reminded of her friendly smile, elegant demeanor, and constant positive energy. Reports about the royal family also refer to her as "the representative of royal tradition", "the saviour of the monarchy" and a possible "future queen".