There wasn’t a dry eye at heat Towers last week as Kate Middleton and Prince William – alongside their children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six – shared a series of intimate glimpses into their family life during a video in which Kate revealed she had finished chemotherapy treatment.
Kate, 42, inspired hope for families affected by cancer worldwide and committed herself to standing ‘hand in hand’ with sufferers and their loved ones – proving yet again that she truly deserves to take on Princess Diana’s mantle as the ‘people’s princess’.
Her PDA with William, 42, which saw the couple laughing, kissing on the cheek and even laying in each other’s arms, was also a first – trumped only by the time Kate accidentally patted her husband’s bum at last year’s BAFTAs.
And now an insider reveals that while the video is the start of a carefully orchestrated comeback to public life, it is also a reflection of Kate and William’s marriage as they emerge stronger and more loved-up than ever at the end of their toughest year yet.
‘They’ve always had a special bond, but this crisis has strengthened it and brought them even closer together,’ an insider tells heat. ‘Everyone’s saying they’re like a couple of newlyweds again. They’re so madly in love. That’s why they have given people such an intimate glimpse into their life as a couple and a family. They genuinely can’t contain their adoration for each other and feel so lucky – they want to broadcast it to the whole world.’
Following planned abdominal surgery in January, Kate revealed her shock cancer diagnosis in March before taking some much-needed time away from public life to focus on her health. Throughout, Kate has always championed doctors and healthcare workers, and now the source says that the video was also crucial to the couple as working royals to support the fight against cancer.
Our source shares, ‘William is seeing this as a huge victory, not just for Kate and the family as a whole, but the fight against cancer and a testament to the incredible work of doctors who work so tirelessly to save lives. He’s in awe of his wife’s bravery and she in turn has fallen more head over heels in love with him than ever.’
And while Kate revealed that her focus would now be on ‘doing what I can to stay cancer free’, the insider says her remission has sparked a new ‘magic’ between Kate and William, who has supported and protected her fiercely throughout.
‘The constant hugs, kisses and general chemistry between them is palpable and incredible to witness. They’re utterly inseparable,’ our source says. ‘They’re truly each other’s heroes and can’t wait to celebrate with lots of family time and a romantic getaway. William says it feels as though they have this second chance at life together and he wants to make the most of it.’
Kate has always said that she relishes in the simple things and prefers spending time at their Norfolk estate, Anmer Hall – where she and William enjoy walks in nature and have taught the children to sail – over luxury holidays abroad.
And while it’s clear their children will always be their priority, the insider says William could be whisking Kate off to somewhere exotic in the near future for a second honeymoon.
‘Amner is a godsend. There are miles of white sand and a huge nature reserve a few miles up the road, so it’s somewhere they can go without being bothered. It’s a very slow-paced and quiet life – exactly what Kate enjoys most,’ we’re told.
But William would also love to whisk Kate off to the Isles of Scilly or Mustique [the Caribbean island where they celebrated Prince George’s birthday in 2019 and first visited as a couple in 2008]. William is so incredibly grateful that Kate pulled through, and he doesn’t miss a day telling her how much he loves and needs her. Life now is filled with so much joy. ’
The source adds, ‘They are taking one day at a time, but they really feel as though they’ve come out of the dark and into the light, and they’re not taking a moment for granted.’