Kate Middleton Takes a Big Step Forward in Her Royal Return: See the Best Photos from Her Emotional Remembrance Weekend

Mar. 15, 2025

Catherine Princess of Wales and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh stand from the balcony during the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on Nov. 10, 2024 in London, England.Photo:Chris Jackson/Getty

Chris Jackson/Getty

While this isn’t a full return to public royal work, it’s a step forward for the Princess of Wales, 42, that came two months exactly after she announced on Sept. 9 that she hadcompleted chemotherapy.

“Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes,” she said in an emotional video message alongside Prince William, 42, and their childrenPrince George, 11,Princess Charlotte, 9, andPrince Louis, 6. “I am however looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months when I can.”

Two such occasions took place for Remembrance events — here are the best photos from the poignant weekend.

01of 06Kate Has Never Missed a Remembrance Sunday In Her 13 Years as a Working RoyalCatherine, Princess of Wales attends the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in central London on Nov. 10, 2024.TOBY MELVILLE/POOL/AFP via GettyThe Princess of Wales clearly values the importance of Remembrance Sunday, asolemn ceremonyheld the second Sunday of every November in the U.K.: she has never missed a single year since marrying into the royal family in 2011. And 2024 was no exception, as Kate stood next to Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh as King Charles led tributes to service personnel from the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces who have died in war or conflict.“She is clearly a vital piece of the royal family, really important both symbolically and in reality as a future Queen,” royal biographer Sally Bedell Smithtells PEOPLE. “It was good that people saw her. You can’t say she is back … but she is coming back,”

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Kate Has Never Missed a Remembrance Sunday In Her 13 Years as a Working Royal

Catherine, Princess of Wales attends the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in central London on Nov. 10, 2024.TOBY MELVILLE/POOL/AFP via Getty

TOBY MELVILLE/POOL/AFP via Getty

The Princess of Wales clearly values the importance of Remembrance Sunday, asolemn ceremonyheld the second Sunday of every November in the U.K.: she has never missed a single year since marrying into the royal family in 2011. And 2024 was no exception, as Kate stood next to Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh as King Charles led tributes to service personnel from the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces who have died in war or conflict.

“She is clearly a vital piece of the royal family, really important both symbolically and in reality as a future Queen,” royal biographer Sally Bedell Smithtells PEOPLE. “It was good that people saw her. You can’t say she is back … but she is coming back,”

02of 06Sophie Places a Protective, Nurturing Hand on Kate’s BackCatherine Princess of Wales and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh stand from the balcony during the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on Nov. 10, 2024 in London, England.Chris Jackson/GettyThe royal family, from William at the Festival of Remembrance to Sophie at Remembrance Sunday, were especially tactile with Kate this weekend, including Sophie putting a nurturing arm on Kate on Nov. 10.Of William the night prior at Royal Albert Hall, Bedell Smith tells PEOPLE, “He was putting his arm around her and being very protective. It is connected to what he said about this being a ‘brutal’ year. I guess you can only imagine that he had witnessed a pretty arduous situation for her, through this year.““He is not known for expressing his emotions in that way. It was solicitous and protective in a very understandable way. There was a reason behind it, she was going into a big event where she was going to be on display,” Bedell Smith adds. “There was an element of reassurance in the way he was behaving.”

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Sophie Places a Protective, Nurturing Hand on Kate’s Back

Catherine Princess of Wales and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh stand from the balcony during the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on Nov. 10, 2024 in London, England.Chris Jackson/Getty

The royal family, from William at the Festival of Remembrance to Sophie at Remembrance Sunday, were especially tactile with Kate this weekend, including Sophie putting a nurturing arm on Kate on Nov. 10.

Of William the night prior at Royal Albert Hall, Bedell Smith tells PEOPLE, “He was putting his arm around her and being very protective. It is connected to what he said about this being a ‘brutal’ year. I guess you can only imagine that he had witnessed a pretty arduous situation for her, through this year.”

“He is not known for expressing his emotions in that way. It was solicitous and protective in a very understandable way. There was a reason behind it, she was going into a big event where she was going to be on display,” Bedell Smith adds. “There was an element of reassurance in the way he was behaving.”

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A Moment of Silence for Those Who Lost Their Lives in War

Catherine, Princess of Wales during the Service Of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on Nov. 10, 2024 in London, England.Samir Hussein/WireImage

Samir Hussein/WireImage

“Being a senior member of the royal family and doing these ceremonial events is obviously important to her,” Bedell Smith tells PEOPLE.

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Kate Appeared Emotional at the Festival of Remembrance Alongside William

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, (2nd L) his wife Victoria Starmer, (L) Catherine, Princess of Wales (2nd R) and Prince William, Prince of Wales (R) attend the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Nov. 9, 2024 in London, England.Chris J. Ratcliffe - WPA Pool/Getty

Chris J. Ratcliffe - WPA Pool/Getty

05of 06Sporting a Red Poppy Pin at the Festival of RemembranceCatherine, Princess of Wales attends the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Nov. 9, 2024 in London, England.Chris J. Ratcliffe - WPA Pool/GettyKate also wore a symbolic red poppy pin with herFleet Air Arm brooch. The Princess of Waleswas announcedas Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm in 2023 and wore the golden winged pin with her poppy on Remembrance Sunday.Every November, members of the royal family are known to sportred poppy pinsin honor of Remembrance Day on Nov. 11, which is also called Armistice Day and popularly known as Veterans Day in the U.S. Since 1921, the poppy has been used to commemorate military members who have died in wars, and the red flower is closely associated with British and Commonwealth countries for Remembrance on Nov. 11.On Sunday, Kate worethree poppy pinsaffixed to her coatdress. While many members of the royal family stuck with just one, Kate’s choice to wear three had a deeper meaning: they honor her great-grandmother’s three brothers, all of whom died in World War I, according toThe Daily Mail.

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Sporting a Red Poppy Pin at the Festival of Remembrance

Catherine, Princess of Wales attends the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Nov. 9, 2024 in London, England.Chris J. Ratcliffe - WPA Pool/Getty

Kate also wore a symbolic red poppy pin with herFleet Air Arm brooch. The Princess of Waleswas announcedas Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm in 2023 and wore the golden winged pin with her poppy on Remembrance Sunday.

Every November, members of the royal family are known to sportred poppy pinsin honor of Remembrance Day on Nov. 11, which is also called Armistice Day and popularly known as Veterans Day in the U.S. Since 1921, the poppy has been used to commemorate military members who have died in wars, and the red flower is closely associated with British and Commonwealth countries for Remembrance on Nov. 11.

On Sunday, Kate worethree poppy pinsaffixed to her coatdress. While many members of the royal family stuck with just one, Kate’s choice to wear three had a deeper meaning: they honor her great-grandmother’s three brothers, all of whom died in World War I, according toThe Daily Mail.

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Meaningful Jewelry Tributes Abounded on Remembrance Weekend

Catherine, Princess of Wales (R) arrives to attend “The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance” ceremony at Royal Albert Hall, in London, on Nov. 9, 2024 as part of the Remembrance Day commemorating the end of World War I.CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/POOL/AFP via Getty

CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/POOL/AFP via Getty

In a nod to her role as the regiment’s Colonel-in-Chief, Kate also wore the silver Queen’s Dragoon Guards brooch on Sunday.

Looking forward, Kate is next expected to host her annual Christmas carol concert, held every December at Westminster Abbey, as she continues to return to public life.

source: people.com