Tanned and relaxed, the Prince and Princess of Wales’ surprise video appearance at the weekend to thank Britain’s Olympic heroes was the summer pick-me-up royal fans needed.
With the extended family now largely on holiday at Balmoral and elsewhere, public appearances will be few and far between until well into September.
And few could fail to be amazed at how happy William and Catherine looked after what one friend describes as the “most difficult year of their lives together”.
That does not mean, as the princess herself openly expressed recently, that she is still “out of danger.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales sent this congratulatory message to Team Great Britain on Sunday
Her preventative chemotherapy treatment continues through the summer – and possibly even beyond – while her recovery will continue for many more months once this concludes, as I understand it.
She will continue to work privately and appear in public when she is able. Kensington Palace hopes to be able to offer guidance at some point in the future on what a return to “a more regular workload” might look like.
But it is important to note that, according to a source close to the royals, “they are not at that stage yet.”
Asked if the Princess’s fourth public appearance (in person and on video) of the year marked a return to royal duties, a source said firmly: “We’re not there yet. The last time we heard from her before Trooping the Colour she said her treatment would continue into the summer and that’s what’s happening.
‘It’s been a very hard year, very difficult for the whole family. And as she herself said, she’s not out of the woods yet.
‘The direction is positive, but there won’t be any major changes (in terms of his public profile) after Sunday night and no one is giving a timetable for his return.’
In the fetid depths of social media, you’ll always find someone with a nasty opinion on the matter, despite Catherine’s unprecedented levels of candour about her condition.
Within hours of her appearance at Wimbledon in July, for example, trolls were already shamefully criticising her rosy-cheeked appearance, even questioning how ill she had actually been.
While we shouldn’t give these individuals the oxygen of publicity they clearly crave, it is important to highlight just how stale the internet has been this year when it comes to the Royal Family, William and Catherine in particular.
Although the couple tries to ignore such speculations, the sad truth is that they have added an unbearable layer of tension to their lives, one that has proven to be downright distressing at times.
The Princess of Wales announced in an emotional video message that she will undergo cancer treatment in March
What most won’t understand is that Catherine had in fact been ill for some time prior to her first abdominal surgery in January (the details of which have yet to be made public by Kensington Palace).
It was only after that “planned” operation, of course, which left her in the hospital for two weeks, that her cancer was discovered.
As always, she hid her suffering well, but those who know her are at pains to point out how difficult her time has been.
“I don’t think people realize how much has gone on behind the scenes and for how long, much more than anyone really appreciates,” says one.
‘She’s an incredibly strong woman, but she’s really been through wars.
‘His treatment and recovery remain a priority and will continue for some time.’
Another well-informed source confirms this and adds: “Her continued treatment is the key issue for her personally and for all of them as a family.
The 42-year-old Princess of Wales, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, reassured the nation by stepping out at Wimbledon in another triumphant return to the spotlight.
“For anyone, once treatment is over, physical recovery is very important. It’s not like flipping a switch.”
This means that, far from hitting the ground running in the autumn, as some might have expected after her sparkling appearance at the weekend, the princess will continue to “build things up slowly”, taking things on as she feels physically – and, no doubt, mentally – strong enough.
He is likely to continue attending major national events, such as Remembrance Sunday.
It’s also been a difficult time, of course, for her husband, Prince William.
Watching his wife go through so much, trying to protect their young children, dealing with her father’s simultaneous cancer diagnosis and his own personal transition to becoming Prince of Wales and heir to the throne… that’s a lot even for his broad shoulders.
However, I’m told things are finally “moving in the right direction” and the couple and their young family have enjoyed a “fabulous” summer so far in Norfolk, living at Anmer Hall, their home and sanctuary on the monarch’s Sandringham estate.
Spending time outdoors (biking, boating, and hanging out with family and friends) has brought color back to all of her cheeks.
“They made a clear and conscious decision to take some time out to be together this summer. Seeing them both so happy and relaxed together and so comfortable in each other’s company speaks volumes about where they are at,” says a source, suggesting the old saying ‘what doesn’t break you makes you stronger’ is as true for the royals as it is for the rest of us.
William has even cut his hair and grown a stubble beard (his summer “dad beard”) that has been so well received on social media that some in his circle are jokingly advising him to leave it for the fall.
“It’s their ‘Hot Dad Summer,'” one laughs, a play on the ‘Hot Girl Summer’ trend so beloved by Generation Z.
Not that William, 42, planned to conquer the Internet.
“We thought that (famous rapper) Snoop Dogg’s appearance in the video (to congratulate the Great Britain Olympic team) would attract everyone’s attention. Instead, all everyone is talking about is the beard! Everyone thinks it’s hilarious,” I was told.
The family are expected to travel to Scotland to stay with the king at Balmoral as usual later this month. Traditionally, the Waleses spent the bank holiday weekend at the royal estate.
William will return to work as soon as Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis return to school early next month.
The Princess of Wales took this touching photograph of her husband jumping off the sand dunes with Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, in Norfolk.
While he will continue to prioritize his wife and family, it is anticipated that the future king will now begin to take on a fairly full schedule of royal duties again.
One of her first engagements will be a visit to the Saatchi Gallery in London to support an exhibition challenging stereotypes about homelessness organised by her Homewards initiative, and later this autumn her Earthshot environmental awards will move to Cape Town.
If all goes well, he is expected to be there, as he was forced to cancel several other planned overseas visits this year due to his wife’s illness.
All the better, then, that he and Catherine have taken time for themselves and their family this summer.
It has strengthened them as a unit. “They have always been a team and what they have been through this year has only strengthened that,” said one source.
And when the Princess is ready to return to a more public life, she will.
For now, however, Catherine continues to take her recovery day by day.
Although she seems to be improving happily, the princess, more than anyone, knows that for the moment it is still important for her to walk, not run.