Kate Middleton made back-to-back public appearances over the weekend alongside members of the royal family, paying homage to the military, veterans, and her late mother-in-law.
On Sunday, Nov. 10, the Princess of Wales attended Remembrance Sunday at The Cenotaph war memorial in London. Her appearance marked the second time the world and royal fans were able to get a glimpse of the embattled royal, who has spent much of the year enduring preventative chemotherapy treatments for a still unspecified type of cancer.
Princess Kate also attended the Festival of Remembrance at Royal Albert Hall a day earlier, on Nov. 9, alongside her husband, Prince William, as well as King Charles, Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh were also in attendance.
During her Nov. 9 appearance, Princess Kate paid a subtle tribute to her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, wearing a pair of Collingwood pearl earrings that once belonged to the former royal, People reports.
On Nov. 10, Middleton also gave a subtle-yet-substantial nod to Princess Diana, wearing an all-black ensemble from one of her former mother-in-law's favorite designers, Catherine Walker & Co., People also reports.
"Walker was also a friend of the princess, and Diana wore her creations from early in her royal life—including while on tour in Australia with Prince Charles and Prince William in 1983," the publication writes.
Princess Diana passed away on Aug. 31, 1997 in Paris. She was 36.
As many outlets noted, the Prince and Princess of Wales recently updated their Instagram account with pictures from their back-to-back public appearances—a sign, to some, that they are ready to turn the page from what Prince William described as a "dreadful" year.
"Honestly? It's been dreadful," the Prince of Wales said of 2024, when he watched both his wife and his father deal with cancer diagnoses and treatments, per the Daily Mail. "It's probably been the hardest year in my life."
Her back-to-back appearances highlight Princess Kate's slow-but-steady return to full-time royal work following the end of her cancer treatments.
"As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment," the Princess of Wales announced back in September. "The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown. The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you.
"Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus," she continued. "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. I am however looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months when I can."
