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By James Crawford-Smith
Royal Reporter
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Princess Kate is being kept informed about major projects during her treatment for cancer but won't be returning to work until it is cleared by her medical team, Kensington Palace has stated.
A palace spokesperson said, per the BBC, on Monday, that despite the publication of a new report by the Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood, which is spearheaded by Kate, a return to work for the royal was ruled out.
"The princess is not expected to return to work until it's cleared by her medical team," the spokesperson said. "Early childhood will continue to be central to her public work."
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Newsweek approached Kensington Palace via email for comment.
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The business task force was formed by Kate in 2023 following the launch of her early-years awareness campaign "Shaping Us." Its report, "Prioritising early childhood for a happier, healthier society," released on Tuesday has identified a potential £45 billion ($57 billion) boost to the U.K. economy through investing in early childhood.
The report and update from the palace comes nearly two months after Kate announced to the world that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing a course of "preventative chemotherapy."
The princess stepped out of the public eye in January to undergo abdominal surgery, after which the diagnosis was made.
In her absence from royal duties, Kate has not participated in large or small-scale events, released regular public statements or contributed in a visible way to her causes and projects.
For the business taskforce's report, Kate did not contribute an introduction or quotation announcing its publication, something which would have typically accompanied such an important royal undertaking.
Christian Guy, the executive director of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, said that Kate was "excited" by the report and that the centers work continues "rolling on as she recovers" from her illness, the BBC reported.
In her health update of March 22, in which the princess announced her cancer diagnosis, she made clear that though she was looking forward to resuming public work, she needed to prioritize her health for the sake of herself and her family.
"We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment," she said.
"My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery."
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Kensington Palace has maintained that it will not provide a "running commentary" on Kate's health and that no updates would be given unless there was significant new information to share.
Prince William has provided informal updates on his wife's progress as he has resumed a scaled-back number of public engagements following her cancer diagnosis.
On May 10, the prince was asked by well-wishers during a visit to the Isles of Scilly near the southwest coast of England how Kate was getting on. He responded: "She's doing very well, thank you."
King Charles III is also currently undergoing treatment for cancer following a diagnosis in February.
In April, the king was cleared by his doctors to resume "public-facing" engagements, attending a series of high-profile events in the weeks since, including a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show in London with Queen Camilla on Monday.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek*'s royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on* Newsweek*'s The Royals Facebook page.*
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan Markle and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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