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Kate Middleton is said to be a quiet force behind palace doors, as she continues to keep busy and prioritize her health after skipping Royal Ascot.
"Princess Catherine has been recuperating behind the scenes," royal expert Neil Sean told Fox News Digital. "This includes a return to ballet with her daughter Princess Charlotte, a massive return to daily nature walks, as well as [keeping up with] her photography hobby."
"An excellent source told me she is living in the moment and has no time for drama… or difficult family members," Sean claimed. "She attended Trooping of the Colour and the Order of the Garter but felt it was too much to attend Royal Ascot. She felt exhausted. This is normal… regarding her return after cancer."
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Kate Middleton has been enjoying her quiet time painting, spending quality time with her daughter Princess Charlotte, playing the piano and cooking, a source told royal expert Neil Sean. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
"One thing that she also does every single day which she describes as the best therapy known to her is her return to playing the piano," Sean added.
Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment.
On June 18, the Princess of Wales canceled her appearance at Royal Ascot at the last minute. While the mother of three was said to be disappointed not to be there, she is still trying to find the right balance as she returns to public-facing engagements following her cancer treatment.
In January 2025, Kate Middleton announced she is in remission from cancer. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
While some royal watchers were concerned about the 43-year-old’s ongoing recovery, a source told Sean that she’s immersing herself in her favorite hobbies and receiving support from other senior royals. She's also completing royal duties at her own pace.
The Prince and Princess of Wales at Royal Ascot, circa 2023. The princess missed this year's festivities. (Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)
"Behind the scenes, the Princess of Wales continues with various Zoom chats with her charities… and dealing with an incredible amount of correspondence from all over the world. But as she’s pointed out, it’s the simple things in life that have truly turned her life around."
"A source tells me that one of her great comforts is having a very close friendship between herself and her daughter, Princess Charlotte," Sean shared.
"Last year, they went on a private visit to the Sadler’s Wells ballet, which has [sparked] Charlotte’s interest in the world of dance, something that Catherine herself shared when she was younger."
Kate Middleton and her daughter have reportedly bonded over ballet. (Yui Mok/Getty Images)
Sean claimed that mother and daughter share a mutual love of dance, an art form that Kate’s late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, was also passionate about.
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"As the source told me, ‘One of the things that she thoroughly enjoys is the escapism and the relaxation of dance and the wonderful classical music from that particular genre,’" Sean claimed. "’It’s really helped her focus… [on] what’s important to her now.’"
"Not only that… I am told she spends at least one hour a day lost in the beauty of [the piano], playing everything from Kate Bush to Mendelssohn," Sean claimed, noting that William has been "enjoying" his wife’s musical skills.
Kate Middleton looks at a costume in the pattern room during a visit to the costume department at the Royal Opera House in London on Jan. 16, 2019. (Heathcliff O'Malley/AFP via Getty Images)
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich also told Fox News Digital that Kate has received both the respect and admiration from palace aides.
Princess Charlotte and Kate, the Princess of Wales, leave Buckingham Palace ahead of Trooping the Colour, the king's annual birthday parade, in London, on June 14, 2025. (Aaron Chown/PA via AP)
"Those who work with her, and for her, share that she’s disciplined, pragmatic, and a quiet, influential figure," Fordwich explained. "She divides her time meticulously between parenting, supporting Prince William, fulfilling her royal duties, all while maintaining a workout regimen supporting her physical and mental health."
"Of particular note is her ability to balance tradition with a modern approach to family life, which is crucial for the monarchy’s relevance in an ever-changing world," said Fordwich. "She’s in lockstep with her generation."
Kate Middleton smiles as she takes part in preparations for a Commonwealth Big Lunch at St Luke's Community Centre, in London on March 22, 2018, as part of the Commonwealth Day celebrations. The Princess of Wales is known for her love of making chutney. (Paul Edwards/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
Fordwich said that in addition to William and the senior royals, Kate’s mother, Carole Middleton, as well as Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and her sister-in-law Alizee Thevenet "have been lovely sources of emotional strength. Alizee, in particular, has been a source of hope and optimism. The entire family's unity and support has been vital to Catherine."
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Kate Middleton's mother, Carole Middleton, attends Royal Ascot on June 18, 2025, in Ascot, England. (Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)
An insider also claimed to Sean that both William and King Charles "have put zero pressure on Catherine to return to full-time royal duties."
"They’re [encouraging] her to enjoy these wonderful moments with her young family while recuperating," said Sean. "The princess knows how fortunate she is. She is tending to a brand-new family vegetable garden patch with both Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte."
According to reports, Kate Middleton has gotten her children involved in growing a vegetable patch. (Jon Super-WPA Pool/Getty Images)
"Catherine’s other passion has been returning her home cooking, particularly her chutney and her specialty honey from her beehive… The princess told [the] source that these are great therapeutic things to do. You lose yourself in the art of cooking, and it’s something you can share with the children, family and friends while talking about all manner of things with zero pressure."
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"[Catherine] knows only too well how fortunate she is, but behind the scenes she is a rock to many others," Sean claimed. "Catherine told this source that we must remember to always enjoy the moments that we are in and not lose sight of the fact that life is a wonderful and precious thing."
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital that the Middleton family have been "the unsung heroes" during Kate’s journey through cancer. In January of this year, the princess announced that she was in remission from the disease.
Kate Middleton announced to the world she had cancer in a pre-recorded message shared in March 2024. (The Prince and Princess of Wales Twitter)
"This has been a tremendously stressful period for Catherine, and she has been supported by a loving husband and… the Middletons, who have been a tower of strength."
Catherine, Princess of Wales paints a detail on a mural in a play area inside the Aros Hall community hub on April 29, 2025, in Tobermory, Scotland. (Oli Scarff - WPA Pool/Getty Images))
"It is a considerable responsibility to bring up a family of three with the pressures she is under," said Fitzwilliams. "The word ‘balance’ as her activities are planned, will be pivotal whilst she is in remission."
"She has reportedly become more spiritual and has, as her videos have shown, drawn much inspiration from nature and the natural world. She will derive strength in the knowledge that the world wishes her well."
Kate Middleton reacts as a young girl touches her hair while she greets well-wishers outside a community center in Dundee, eastern Scotland, on Jan. 29, 2019. (Ian Rutherford/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
People magazine reported that Kate returned to work after her absence at Royal Ascot. According to The Court Circular, the British royal family’s official record of previous engagements, Kate and William received Melinda French Gates on June 25 at Windsor Castle.
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The Prince and Princess of Wales at the coronation of King Charles III, in May 2023. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
According to the outlet, the couple represented The Royal Foundation at the meeting. The charity focuses on the early childhood years and mental health, among other causes. The meeting didn’t take them far from their home at Adelaide Cottage in the grounds of Windsor.
Fordwich said Kate "is excited" about Wimbledon, which she typically attends every year, as well as the French state visit held at Windsor Castle beginning July 8. In addition, the royal family usually retreats to Balmoral Castle, their Scottish estate, in the summer.
Kate Middleton is expected to be surrounded by family and loved ones at Balmoral Castle in Scotland this summer. (Ashley Crowden - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
"Princess Catherine’s approach to balancing duty and family, as well as [practicing] mindful self-care while being careful not to overextend herself, has rendered her as ever more vital, as well as a highly respected member of the royal family," said Fordwich.
Kate Middleton is expected to be at Wimbledon in July. (Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
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"She embodies qualities admired by the British public… [And she has] a quiet resilience that’s essential to the monarchy’s future."
Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com.