Kate Middleton's brave decision 'means a lot' to King Charles
Kate Middleton's brave decision 'means a lot' to King Charles
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After more than a year away from solo duties, Princess Kate, 43, made an emotional return to her royal work with an official visit to the hospital where she received her cancer treatment. The future Queen spent the day chatting with patients and staff at the Royal Marsden Hospital, West London, and later announced that her own cancer is in remission. Whilst Kate did attend a couple of high-profile royal events last year - like Trooping the Colour - for the most part she stayed out of the public eye, focussing on her health and her young family.
However, the brave royal now feels able to continue a gradual return to work, King Charles, 76, massively appreciates her "support" to the crown, an expert has said. Historian and author Dr. Ed Owens told Us Weekly that Kate is feeling up to representing the monarchy again in official engagements will be really "important" to King Charles - whose own cancer treatment is ongoing, amid his own royal duties. "Knowing that Catherine is available, supporting William and also supporting the monarchy, is, I think, really important to him right now," the expert explained.
The expert added that Charles "knows the institution is only as strong as the personalities that front it." Given Kate's high popularity rating with the public, her renewed presence could make a big difference for the monarchy. In recent YouGov ratings, Kate has topped the approval rankings for the royals - beating out even the ever-popular late Queen Elizabeth. Kate comes in at 79 percent approval with the British public, with Prince William at 74 percent.
For his part, King Charles currently has an approval rating of 51 percent so nearly half of the public doesn't view the monarch that favourably, and two of his siblings rank higher than him - Princess Anne at 61 percent favourability and Prince Edward at 59 percent - as well as his niece Zara Tindall, who has an approval rating of 54 percent. Despite what a firm favourite Kate is amongst royal fans, the public should not expect her to make a full-time return to work just yet. The Princess of Wales made it clear when she announced her course of chemotherapy had ended in September that her main focus would remain on her health for the time being.
