Kate ends chemotherapy: back to my public commitments

Princess Kate, consort of British heir to the throne William, has completed the chemotherapy she started last February following a cancer diagnosis made known to the country in March to general shock. She announced this herself in a new emotionally charged video and personal reference released on social media, in which she admits that it has been an 'incredibly hard time'. Kate also announced that she is looking forward to returning to some public engagements in the coming months.

Kate's announcement about the end of her chemotherapy is an important step forward, but 'at this stage it cannot yet be said' that the princess is 'cancer free', cured of cancer. This was emphasised by Kensington Palace in statements picked up by the BBC on the sidelines of the broadcast of the video message from Prince William's consort herself. At the moment, a possible partial return to the monarchy's public representation activities is expected 'later this year': probably, the BBC reports, starting with the Remembrance Day ceremonies in remembrance of the fallen in November.

"Now that summer is coming to an end, I cannot tell you how much of a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy course. The last nine months have been incredibly hard 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 stormy waters and unfamiliar roads,' Kate explained. "The journey of cancer illness is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to us," she continued.

"With humility, it also brings you face to face with your vulnerabilities in a way you had never considered before and, with that, a new perspective on everything," she explained. Citing her husband, Kate recounted that "this period has reminded William and I in particular to reflect on and be grateful for the simple but important things in life that many of us often take for granted. Simply loving and being loved. Doing everything I can to not get cancer is now my goal. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to recovery and full recovery is a long one and I must continue to live each day as it comes.

In the video shot last month in Norfolk, the county in eastern England where the residence of the Princes of Wales is located, Kate's voice can be heard in the background as images of her holiday with her husband and three happy children in the meadows, in the woods and by the sea scroll by. The princess went on to say that she is looking forward to getting back to work and 'to undertake some more public engagements in the coming months' wherever possible.