The Princess of Wales faced an unprecedented year of challenges in 2024, beginning with major abdominal surgery that led to her withdrawal from public duties.
The absence sparked intense global scrutiny, with social media hashtags like “Where is Kate” trending worldwide. The BBC reported Russian disinformation partly fuelled the speculation.
A Mother’s Day photo controversy further intensified public attention when the Princess admitted to editing a family image, stating: “I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion.”
In March, the Princess bravely revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy, stating: “It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family.”
Her return to public life was marked by appearances at Trooping the Colour and Wimbledon.
Royal sources suggest the Princess will increase her duties in 2025, potentially including international travel.
