NEED TO KNOW
- Kate Middleton made a subtle fashion statement to visit Colchester Hospital’s Wellbeing Garden on July 2
- It was significant as the Princess of Wales’ first public outing after speculation was sparked around her June 18 absence at Royal Ascot
- Princess Kate, 43, recycled a blazer she wore for an important portrait in 2024 and shimmered in a meaningful necklace for her day out on Wednesday
Kate Middleton wore something poignant for her first public appearance after her absence at Royal Ascot made waves.
On July 2, the Princess of Wales, 43, visited RHS’s Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital to commemorate the healing power of nature and draw attention to the mental, physical and spiritual boost that spending time in nature provides. There, Princess Kate spoke with candor about the “really, really difficult” phase after cancer treatment and the “roller coaster” of recovery.
For the outing, Kate wore several pieces from her closet that had connections to her cancer journey. She wore her beige Blazé Milano pinstriped blazer, which she sported for an emotional portrait last year. Princess Kate wore the blazer with jeans in the portrait by Matt Porteous released in June 2024, which accompanied the first health update she shared after announcing her cancer diagnosis that March.
The Princess of Wales said in a personal letter then that she was “making good progress” in her cancer treatment but added that “I am not out of the woods yet.” The photo showed her standing below a tree in the woods of Windsor, where she lives with Prince William and their children, looking up toward the sky.
Kate had reduced her royal duties after announcing in March 2024 that she was receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. Princess Kate later shared in September that she completed chemotherapy and said in January that she is in remission following a stop at The Royal Marsden Hospital, where she received treatment.
The Princess of Wales also wore a necklace that looked new to her collection for her visit to Colchester Hospital on Wednesday. Kate accessorized with a garnet and gold circle pendant, sporting the red birthstone reflecting her January birthday.
When the Princess of Wales turned 43 on Jan. 9, Prince William issued an especially emotional message. It came on the heels of a year he described as “brutal” with both his wife and father, King Charles, diagnosed with cancer.
“To the most incredible wife and mother,” the heir to the throne wrote below another photo of Kate by Porteous in January.
“The strength you’ve shown over the last year has been remarkable. George, Charlotte, Louis and I are so proud of you,” he said, referring to their children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7. “Happy Birthday, Catherine. We love you. W”
Princess Kate completed her look for her visit to the Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital with a striped top, brown trousers and her go-to Veja sneakers, creating a crisp yet relaxed aesthetic.
Shortly after Princess Kate resumed more frequent royal duties early this year, her office at Kensington Palace released a rare statement about her fashion following backlash to a report by The Sunday Times claiming that the palace would no longer share credits about what she wore.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson clarified to PEOPLE that “there has been no change in our approach to sharing information about Her Royal Highness’s clothing” and that the comments that appeared in the Sunday Times article around her style should be attributed to the spokesperson, not Princess Kate.
The royal has kept the emphasis on her work this year by donning understated ensembles and recycled pieces for her public engagements, sending a message that she means business.
“I think she looks much more modern in the way she dresses now,” said Petar Petrov, the Ukrainian designer behind a brown blazer she wore for a field trip with kindergarteners in February. “She looks relaxed, and I think she can win the hearts of people even more because she feels like a real person that people can connect with, like Princess Diana. That’s special and makes her even more relevant than ever.”
During the hospital visit, Princess Kate revealed the continued challenges after completing cancer treatment, saying that “the phase afterwards is really, really difficult.”
“You’re not necessarily under the clinical team any longer, but you’re not able to function normally at home as you perhaps once used to,” she said.
Princess Kate called the experience “life-changing” for patients as well as their families.
“You have to find your new normal and that takes time…and it’s a roller coaster, it’s not smooth, like you expect it to be,” she said. “But the reality is you go through hard times.”
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Two weeks ago, Kate’s absence at Royal Ascot made headlines when she didn’t appear after her name was released by the organizers on an initial carriage list. Princess Kate’s name was dropped from the cavalcade about 20 minutes after the list was published on June 18.
PEOPLE understands that an inaccurate carriage listing was mistakenly circulated by the Royal Ascot horse race, and Prince William went on to attend the event with King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The Princess of Wales was said to be disappointed not to be able to attend Ascot but remains focused on finding the right balance as she resumes public work after cancer treatment.
“She’s being sensible, listening to what her body is telling her and easing back into public life,” Queen Elizabeth’s former spokeswoman Ailsa Anderson tells PEOPLE about Kate’s outlook now.
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